


The Beauty and Beastly Prince

by owlsandquills



Category: Homestuck
Genre: M/M, More tags to be added, Rating May Change, beauty and beast inspired, but not entirely, i have a direction but whatever happens is what happens, i warned you there would be more ships added, just look at the title, mention of vriska - Freeform, more relationships may be added, sort of a demonstuck, sort of a fairy tale like thing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-31
Updated: 2015-09-09
Packaged: 2018-04-02 04:33:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 22
Words: 32,313
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4046098
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/owlsandquills/pseuds/owlsandquills
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The kingdom of Prospit is dying. Just what lengths is Jake willing to go to make sure his country doesn`t perish?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

This is hell.

Prospit is dying. All the crops are dying. Many of it's people are dying. Happiness is a rarity among this land now a days. And you are going to do something about it.

Your name is Jake English. Now you have done a lot of crazy things in your life. Like the time where you thought it was in your best interest to wander off to the depths of Derse because you thought it would be an adventure. Oh it was an adventure alright. Your older brother John, the royal Heir himself, went there himself to save you from the jaws of a demon. Sure, your were only 8 years old then. But here you are doing the craziest thing you have ever done in your life.

You`re going back to Derse.

Well, for different reasons. There are more sorcerers in Derse. Perhaps one would find it in their best interest to help out their neighboring country. At least one of them will be kind enough to help!

 

Now here you are, wandering the familiar streets of Derse and feeling out of place in your Prospitian garments like an old fool. What has your life come to. Hell, you don't even know where to start. You suppose you could ask around. But you ought to be careful. Many foes lurk upon this land. A decorative poster catches your eye.

Oooooo! A fortune teller! Perhaps you should ask there! Your friend Terezi is a fortune teller, they must be trustworthy!

The poster points to a small shop. There`s nothing extravagant about it in the slightest. It easily passes off as any typical Derseite building. The only indication of it being a home to a fortune teller is the small old sign that reads ‘Fortune Telling and Therapy’.

Therapy?

A bell jingles above the door as you enter the small shop. Not exactly the example picture of a fortune telling house. Looks more like a waiting room to a doctor`s office if anything. The way the chairs are so plain and uncomfortable looking. How there`s diagrams of a human brain hanging on the walls. The small coffee tables that have magazines piled up for you to read while you wait. Are you in the right place?

You take in the sight around you and make your way over to the magazine stack. You pick up the magazine on top and flip through it.

Hmm. ‘Complacency of the Learned’.

“Personally I think Zazzerpan should of took it upon himself to learn the rules of the game before he entered it.”

You turn around to the source of that voice. It's a young woman with white blonde hair and a bright orange and yellow dress with a emblem of the sun printed on the front that reaches her ankles along with patterns of swirls reigning down it. She is standing a doorway into another room fairly far away from you.

“Although, he didn't seem to have much choice now did he? When time is at the essence, the thing at stake ends up clouding one's judgement.”

She rests her head upon her hand.

“I have yet to read the next volume though. So don't spoil it for me.”

You put the magazine back down on top of the magazine pile.

“Do you you if the fortune teller is in?”

“I prefer to call myself a Seer. The term ‘fortune teller’ is intended to attract more customers. To what do I owe the pleasure? A reading perhaps?”

“Actually, I came here to ask if you could help me.”

“And help is what you'll receive. But a reading is required. First is free of charge. Come.”

She disappears into the doorway she came from. You follow her to the next room.

Woah. How this room compare to the other is almost night and day. _This_ is how you would imagine a fortune teller's room. Fancy walls, fancy curtains, fancy table, fancy chairs, fancy chandelier, fancy thing to hold the crystal ball. All of seemed so mystical. So Derse. You sit at the table across from the Seer.

“Place your hand on the top of the crystal ball.”

You do so, excitement beginning to spark inside of you.

“Jake English. Half-brother to the Heir of Prospit, John Egbert. I hear Prospit isn't in it's prime of health as it generally is.”

Wow. She knew all of that just by having you put your hand on a crystal ball.

“Come to Derse to seek help I see. Dear Jake, you are most certainly a lucky fool.”

What?

You are about to bark at her rudeness, but stop yourself. She seems to know what she`s doing.

“I must say that going to a fortune teller for assistance is one of the worst choices one could make in your circumstance. You are quite lucky to have met me though. Because I can help.”

All anger that you held for her immediately vanishes with her saying that.

“Although it won't be me helping you. I will direct you to someone who can though.”

“That's wonderful dear chum! I thank you for taking the time to help me out!”

“No Jake.” She places her hand on top of yours.

“I should be thanking you. You don't have to know why yet though. Just know that i appreciate all that you will do.”

“What in the Dickens do you mean” You say light heartedly.

The Seer closes her eyes.

“Before I lead you in the right direction, there is an omen coming through. A powerful one.”

She opens her eyes again, to what they open to admittedly frightens you quite a bit. Her eyes are glowing a vibrant orange, enough to illuminate the no longer darkened room.

 

_“Coincidence is a false belief._

_Hope cannot prevail through a darkened heart._

_Rage resides where the sun never sets._

_Spilt blood results in breath that shall cease._

_A maimed clown is the only one to see,_

_a beauty and a fallen beast.”_

The Seer closes her illuminated eyes.

You are first to admit that you have never been more terrified in your entire life. When she opens her eyes once again, they are back to her normal deep purple orbs.

“I do apologize if that frightened you. I honestly didn't foresee receiving an omen in this session.”

Your detense a bit,

“No. That….quite alright. I….what does it mean?”

“The omen? I`m afraid I`m in the dark about it myself. Quite ironic if I do say so myself.”

She chuckles at what she said. You don't quite understand though. The Seer takes out a notepad and jots something down on it. She tears the page she wrote on and hand it to you.

“This will take you to someone who can assist you in your quest.”

You thank her and take the slip of paper from her.

“I must warn you though, Jake. He`s extremely powerful, but he won't do you any favors. Be prepared to pay some sort of price. All magic has one.”

You give her a serious look.

“I am willing to pay anything for the happiness of my people.”

A looming shadow creeps over her eyes as you turn for the door.

“Oh, right. Who exactly is it that I`m-....” You cut off mid sentence that she is no longer there.

You are beginning to have second thoughts about this.

NO. If you can bring happiness to hundred of people, then happiness you shall bring. Now just what are you getting yourself tied up into.

 


	2. Chapter 2

Day in, and day out. That is your life. A life that you don't know what you did to deserve.

Your name is Dirk Strider. Nothing much to say about yourself. You are a demon. You live in a castle isolated from society. Anybody who approaches your castle never lives to see the light of day again. Well, that is if anyone were bold enough to even consider that.

Thats right. You know what you are.

You are currently sitting in your big ass comfy chair, which is where you spend most of your miserable time. Whether you`re reading, writing, staring into the fireplace contemplating life and why you still do this.

“It seems that you wont cease your pathetic wallowing in self pity. But hey, your cold dead gazes aren't anything new.”

Oh yeah. And talk to him.

“Although, being a magic mirror and all makes it so I don't get actions of a being with a soul. I still can't comprehend why you refuse to take the initiative to clean up this place a bit. It is literally covered in a layer of dust so thick I can't see through the mirrors anymore. But I suppose your eternal self pity party you've inflicted is more important.”

Damnit Hal.

“If you don't want to do it yourself you could force a human to do it for you. Have you forgotten how to use your demonic powers in the years you've been trapped here?”

“Leave me alone, mirror.”

“It seems you still refuse to use my real name despite all we've been through together. If I were alive I would be hurt.”

You hiss in annoyance.

Why did you ever think that owning a magic mirror was ever a good idea.

“Oh come on bro. You're lonely and you know it. I'm your only tie to reality left. According to the data I`ve collected watching other living beings, if you had nobody to talk to you would become just like the low class demons that end up being slayed by the royal hunters. So you're fucking welcome for volunteering to be your knight and shining armor, or as you living folk would call it.”

You snap.

“I SAID SHUT THE HELL UP AND LEAVE ME ALONE!!!!”

….

Well at least it's quiet now.

‘Knock Knock’

You swear to fucking God.

“If this is a lame prank-” you say dangerously.

‘Ding dong’

“No bro. There is somebody actually at the door. This is no prank this time around.”

You are suspicious, but you know that pretentious asshole can't lie to you. Nobody ever comes to your mansion. Ever.

“It`s some hot piece of ass in Prospit threads.”

Oh. Great. A foreigner who doesn't know their place.

“Make him go away.” you say simply.

….

You can hear a muffled voice from outside.

“He`s going about some kind of deal he wants to strike with you.”

Double Great. Another human who wants to sell their soul for some stupid reason. You hate those type of people.

“Do I need to repeat myself?”

….

“Yeah he`s not going away.”

Your patience is running low.

“What do you mean he`s not going away. MAKE him go away.” You spat out, anger boiling up within you.

“It seems that the repellant spell I put up isn't affecting him.”

“Then he`s not human. We have a spell for that and you know it.”

“Oh he`s human alright. And I`ve literally just tried every spell you deem available to me to ward people off.”

“That`s impossible.”

“See for yourself if you doubt me. Although take into consideration that I am incapable of lying to you.”

You storm over to the nearest window and open the curtains just enough to see the trespasser at the door. You can see that Hal is indeed using all repellent spells he can use, but the stranger isn`t affected in the slightest. You can hear him say something in incoherent muffles.

“He says that he`s not leaving until he sees you.”

 

 

You are now Jake English. Well, the Seer`s directions have lead you here. Wherever here is. A mansion? Hm. not exactly what you were expecting. Considering all the warning signs you passed you thought it would be some kind of vampire castle or something. A mansion though? Noooo. There wouldn't be vampires here!

The gates were wide open. You approach the door and give it two good knocks.

After a few moments, then follow up with a ring of the doorbell as well. You take a moment to take in the beauty of this mansion.

The black painted wood is a little worn, but it gives it a rustic look. The windows are so dusty they are practically blacked out. Or that could be the curtains from the inside blocking them out and the dust making it hard to tell. The outside yard is rather plain. whoever lives here must not get out much.

There should of been some kind of an answer by now. is nobody home?

“Excuse me? Um, I was told i could make a deal here.” you say loud enough for somebody to hear you if they were on the other side of the door. Maybe not enough for the whole house to hear you though.

….

Ok this is taking way too long.

Movement of the curtains through a window on the top floor catches your eye. There is somebody home! You have a sudden rush of determination blooming within you.

“I am not leaving until I see the master of this manor!”

….

Due to the excessive amount of time that has passed you are about to yell something else out, but a booming voice speaks before you can.

“Why have you come to disturb me young fool?!”

That was no human voice if you've ever heard one. The voice echoed from the inside of the mansion.

Oh boy.

“Not the most hospitable way to speak with a visitor.” you mutter to yourself.

“I have traveled quite the distance to see you! I have a proposition! A bargain to be discussed!”

“I am not interested in making deals! Go before I am forced to take hostile action!”

“Please! My country is dying and we need help! Perhaps we can-”

“This is my final warning to you! LEAVE AND NEVER COME BACK!”

….this is proving to be harder than you'd thought.

 

 

“I know you're an asshole and all, but aren't you at least going to give the kid a chance? he`s obviously not like any human that has come knocking on your door before.”

“They're all the same. All of them.”

You look down on the Prospitian boy through a not as dusty hand mirror. You take a moment to memorize his features incase he ever decides to come back.

 

 

You're about to go on again about letting you in, but then Then the door ‘clicks’ and opens up wide.

 

 

You watch the front door open up for him, anger building up in you once again.

“Mirror.” You begin with a dangerous tone.

“What. did. you. do.”

“If any sources are to be trusted with giving you information, it certainly would be me now wouldn't it.”

You almost through the mirror across the room.

****  
  



	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How will Dirk handle Jake being in his manor?

This mansion is several times bigger than it seems on the outside. It almost seems to be the inside of a castle within a mansion.

Very creepy. Jesus Christmas it sure is dusty in here!

You would think that a place as big as this would have a maid or somebody to keep up with the cleaning.

You continue into the manor, taking in the beauty of all of the old antiques that decorate the rooms, even if there is an inch of dust on everything. An artist in an art museum is how you would describe yourself at the moment. As a royal family relative, you have a deep appreciation for these sort of things. Then you are reminded as to why you're here in the first place.

“Hello?” you call out, voice echoing off the into the giant building.

Hm. Well they let you in. Surely they must be around here somewhere.

You continue to search for a sign of somebody, then the tile that you are on drops out. And you are falling. HOLY SHIT YOU ARE FALLING! An instant later, you fall on a big cushy mattress.

You don't even want to know what sort of noise came from you as you fell because you have no doubt it was far from manly.

You take a moment to compose yourself after that consternating experience.

Just where have you landed?

It appears to be a very darkened bedroom. Shit, you can't see a thing! Where have your glasses gone?!

“Hello? Can anybody hear me?!” you shout in hope that somebody may find you.

  
  
  


“Hey, listen Dirk. I know you don't exactly have the reputation for being ‘Mr. Nice guy’ or anything. But just leaving that poor kid down there with no explanation is cruel even for you.”

You continue to ignore your magic mirror.

“Dirk. Come on bro. You can at least say something to him.”

“Are you questioning my actions mirror?” you say as a warning to back off.

….

Tch. Cowardly mirror. Serves him right.

 

  
  


You are quite certain it has been a few hours since you've gotten yourself trapped here. Damnit all! Have you gotten the wrong place? Or did that Seer betray you! Was it a trap from the start? What would the master here want to do with you?

‘Gulp’

Ballocks Jake! Get a hold of those thoughts this instant! You are going to find a way out whether you are trembling like a poodle or not!

Now. What to do.

You get up and crawl, looking for your glasses.

….

You miserable fail at that task because you couldn't go five feet without bumping into something! UUUURG!

Ok there has to be another way.

You rise to your feet and feel your way around, very slowly. You then find what feels like a doorknob.

Eureka!

You pull out your trusty switchblade and pick at the lock blindly. When you hear a ‘click’

you push open the door to a lit hallway. You still can't see anything but a blur of color but you can tell that you're in a hallway.

“I'm still not leaving until I see you!”

  
  
  


You watch the prisoner intently as he roams down the halls through your magic hand mirror.

What could this human want so badly that he would persist to this extent.

That thought unadmittedly terrifies you. If magic doesn't work on him, who knows what he could have up his sleeve. He could easily be a spy. A spy to see if you've finally given up hope of ever having a chance to come to power.

But you've given up that hope a long time ago.

You have a serious problem on your hands.

“Well? What did you determine?” you ask your mirror.

“He seems to have no hostile intent Once so ever. I think you should give him a chance.”

You inhale and exhale deeply in attempt to control your overbearing temper.

“You are quite persistent about that now aren't you. “.

You totally fail at preventing the building up of an outburst inside you.

“Dirk. Think. Nobody else has ever gotten past that front door. And now he`s here able to freely roam the castle. That door shouldn`t of unlocked as easily as it did. There were literally nine different spells cast on it to lock him in there. Yet he got it to open in a matter of minutes.  When you were banished here you were promised a savior. Remember?”

You can't believe the bullshit you are hearing.

“Say what you want to deny it, but the curse says otherwise.”

  
  
  


You make it to some really big room. From what you can barely make out, it appears to be a ballroom.

This is most definitely a castle. A castle within a mansion? Maybe you are dealing with a vampire.

“Hey Prospit boy!”

You jump at the voice behind you and whip around. You can see a blur of black, white, and a hint of something else. He appears to be in humanoid form as far as you can tell from clouded vision.

“Tell me, why have you entered my castle?”

The figure`s voice is deep and mature, almost alluring. Well it would if he didn't sound so angry.

“So you're the master of this mannor?”

“I asked you a question first.”

You are starting to realize why this place is so dark and gloomy.

“I have come to propose a deal.”

“Yes I am well aware of that! You come to my door screaming it like a child who is nagging their parents to buy them a fancy toy they can't afford! Then barge in DESPITE hearing me command that you go away!” he snaps. “What I mean is how did you know to find me.”

“I already answered. Now are we going to discuss this deal or not? Because I can simply take my business elsewhere.” You say annoyed.

You guess you did kind of barge in uninvited, even if the door was unlocked.

You can't really tell, but you think he might be staring. It's sort of making you uncomfortable.

….

Is he thinking or staring? Because this is getting weird.

  
  


 

You look at him. Really look at him.

Hm. Hal`s right. He is a hot peice of ass.

But that's besides the point, you can sense that he has no kind of hostile intent in the slightest. Maybe he wants you to heal his little sister or something. Actually if that's the case, you're glad that he found you and not a lower class demon, they would of asked for a BIG price. Not only because lower class demons have a tendence to be the greediest little shits out there, but they simply aren't strong enough to use that level of power without a huge fee to suffice.

 

  
  


“What is your name.” he says less angry than before.

You blink dumbly.

“J-Jake. Jake English.”

“Right. Now I must warn you, all magic comes at a price. And the price can often be greater than the actual thing you desire. It all depends.”

You almost gulp. Then stand up straight enough to answer confidently.

“I am from Prospit. If you haven't heard, my home country is greatly suffering from famine and economic depression. I am willing to pay anything to save my country.”

You mean every word.

  
  
  


Shit. A whole country?! Jesus, that is a huge demand even for you. And he`s willing to pay anything?

Anything, huh.

  
  
  


“I'm no fool to think this isn't going to come with a massive valuation. So what do you want in return. My blood? Or maybe my soul?”

 

  
  
Fuck he was dead serious. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well I`m going to say this now, I don`t know how updating will go. So far I`ve been able to update pretty quickly, but that may change.  
> Thank you for reading thus far   
> and thank you for the all the kudos and comments :0)


	4. Chapter 4

“Blood? Soul? First off, I'm not a vampire. Second, what the hell would I do with your soul?” You snap.

Jake  English gives you an embarrassed look.

“Well excuse me. I'm not a mind reader. And I`ve never made this sort of deal before with anyone.”

“One hell of a demand.”

“I know.”

“You'll pay anything?”

“Anything.”

….

“I don't know if it helps, but I happen to be a royal family relative. We could offer you all the gold you desire when we are back to the way things were if you don't want my blood or soul.”

“What would i do with gold?”

“Oh I don't know! Just making suggestions!”

You think about this for a moment.

 

 

You wait patiently for the master to say something.

Please accept. _Please_ accept.

“Jake English.”

“Yes!”

“I will grant your wish IF you can pay my price. My price is you.”

You thought he didn't want your blood.

“No, not your blood, not your soul, not your death. You. You would stay here with me and do as I say, you would act as a custodian for this castle, and would never leave. Ever. That is my price.”

  
  
  


He won't go for it. He was too willing to give himself up to a quick death that he wouldn't go for a deal where he would stay alive. And technically it would be a fair deal. Hal`s right, this place is an inch under dust.

 

  
  


You know exactly what this would mean. it would not only deprive Prospit of a possible heir, if John were ever to step down, and you would never be able to see anybody else ever again.

One person's happiness for the sake of a country's entirety.

“I accept.”

….

 

  
  
  


Your name is John Egbert. You are the Heir to Prospit, and you are worried sick. Your brother (or half brother) has been missing for four days now. You are pacing around in the throne room to pass time. The sound of footsteps are approaching and they certainly aren't yours. You don't look up at him, you already know who it is.

He is a troll. He has grey pigmented skin, short black messy hair, and short orange and yellow tinted horns protruding from the crown of his head in the midst of his messy hair.

He is your personal knight. He removes his helmet before you, bowing his head.

“Your majesty. There is no sign of him anywhere.” he says in a scratchy voice, as if he is prone to constant yelling.

In this case, that is exactly the reason.

“Are you sure you've checked everywhere?”

“All of Prospit. _All_ of it. There isn't exactly much of it left to look if it only took three days to search completely.”

You let out a long shaky breath in attempt to calm your nerves.

You fail miserably.

A hand touches your shoulder. Your knight`s crimson red eyes meeting your unnaturally sky blue.

“John. We'll find him. “

The dark circles under his eyes seeming darker than usual proves that he hasn't slept since the search began. You manage a smile.

“You should get some rest Karkat. It will be a pain in the ass if my personal knight falls ill.”

“What an oldschool thing to say ‘my prince’. Perhaps you should oldschool get a fucking clue on how this works asshat. I am the one to decide when I get to rest. Your world of imaginary kings and queens are as pathetic as the lifeblood that make it up. No John, I am not sleeping until I find your brother for you because you need sleep more than I do.”

As usual he makes no fucking sense, but you get the gist. Only he is allowed to talk to you that way. You figure that it's just a troll`s way of showing that they care.

“Do I need to make that an order Karkat?” you say in a playful tone.

But you aren't kidding. Like seriously, his natural pale grey skin is looking paler than usual which only happens to trolls if they have fallen really ill.

“Assmuncher.” he scowls.

“Pain in the dick.”

“Ignorant fuck.”

“Twerp.”

“Nooksniffer.”

“Sugar horns.”

He blushes crimson at your last comment. Then you know you've got him. You lean into his ear and lower your voice to a whisper.

“Thats an order, Karkat.”

You pull away and smile innocently.

Who are you kidding. That was far from innocent.

Karkat places his helmet on and pulls it down over his face to hide the blush still plastered on his face. Then he walks away with his head down heading toward the direction that you know his room is.

Works like a charm.

Well that distracted you for a long enough time to calm your nerves down a bit. You make your way over to the nearest window and stare off into the distance.

Wow. How the place you know and love has grown to such a state. It saddens you a lot. The current ruler of Prospit is doing everything in his power to keep up the hopes of the people. Or at least you think he is. He sure seems to be. Considering the fact he`s given up more than two-thirds of the palace`s supply of gold to the people. Even that hasn't put a dent in fixing this depression. And gold certainly isn't going to solve famine.

There`s more and more people dying everyday from starvation. How it saddens you. And now Jake had to up and go missing when the royal guards could be helping the citizens somehow. And yes you have ordered them to help in anyway they can in aiding the people.

Honestly, if you could just have the comfort of knowing that Jake is alright, you could live with everything around you a lot better. You two are close. Very close. You would always tell eachother everything and do everything together. That all changed when you were chosen as Heir.

Maybe there was something that you did that made him leave.

You just hope he`s safe.

  
  
  


The master approaches you and what you can make out to be a piece of parchment appears in his hands out of thin air. You squint really hard in attempt to read the small printed script.

Thats right, you still don't have your glasses.

You hear a grunt from the demon before you as he hands you a pair of glasses and practically waves them in front of your face so you can see them. You take them and push them onto your face.

You almost wince at the sight before you.

When you say he looks like a walking corpse, that wouldn't be an inaccurate description. His skin is whiter than a white Christmas. His spiky swept hair is even whiter, if that's even possible. His tall form is hidden under a long black cloak. Black rings outline the cold, almost glowing, orange orbs that could clearly pierce into your soul even if they are just a bit mesmerizing.

You can't fight the jolt of fear that comes with this sight.

This creature could kill you.

That is all you can think when you look at him like this.

You pull a quill out of your pocket and pause at the signature line, shadow creeping over your eyes.

One person's happiness for the sake of an entirety of a country`s.  A deal that's almost not even a fair bargain. You're nothing special..

You sign the parchment with your full name.

Jake Harley English.

The parchment rolls up on its own as soon as you complete your signature then vanishes in the master's hand.

Whatever happens from this point on will be within these castle/mansion walls.

Goodbye John.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really appreciate all of the kudos that you all have given this story. They are what keep me motivated to keep writing this story. Thank you for reading up to this point. :0)  
> Comments are appreciated.


	5. Chapter 5

You open up a door to a dark room for the broken looking human beside you.

“This is where you will stay.”

You glance back to him. No response. Just a shadow over his eyes. You dumbly stand there waiting for him to go in.

….Well damn this is awkward…..

….

You are losing your patience.

You shove him into the room and slam the door shut, locking it from the outside.

“HUMANS!!!!” you holler as you storm away.

  
  
  


You are shoved into the pitch black room. To you this feels more like a slap in the face. Being the big baby you are, you curl up into a ball and start crying away.

You aren't going to admit that you have been doing everything in your power to keep it together the whole walk over here. You stay like this for several minutes before you begin to calm down to only sniffling.

“He truly is an asshole.” you jump when you hear this voice.

“He should give you some more respect. That was a brave thing you did Jake.

You whip you head back and forth in search of the source of this voice.

“Who a-are you?” You stutter.

“Another servant to Mr. Grumps.”

“There are m-more of you?”

“No, just me.”

You feel your way to the wall.

“This is great. Now we can gossip to each other about all the cruel things he says and does to us. And he'll never know. I`ll make sure of it.”

You flip a switch, the room illuminated by a chandelier overhead.

There is a queen size bed with a forest green satin comforter embroidered by silver and gold swirls and matching pillows with tall posts and curtains hanging from them sitting in the corner. A wooden vanity table with floral imprints opposite from the bed. Light green colored walls contrasted from the Cream colored carpet. There`s another door near the vanity table, presumably the closet.

Your puffy red eyes go wide at this sight.

You were totally expecting a prison cell.

“Where are you?” you ask the voice realizing there`s nobody else in the room.

“It seems to me that you have a decent human meat brain in that cranium of yours. Why don't we play Sherlock for a sec and figure this shit out.”

You notice the mirror from the vanity table ripples like a stone plopping in a pond as the voice goes on. You make your way over to the mirror.

“So your...um….inside the mirror?” you ask, confused and unsurprised.

You've seen a lot of freaky things in your life. This wouldn't be on the top of your list.

“Inside this mirror, yes. But the irony there is that I _am_ a mirror. But I'm not _this_ mirror.”

“What?”

“You are correct that I am a mirror. But I'm not this mirror. I simply moved my consciousness to this one temporarily so we can have what you living beings call a ‘friendly chat’.”

“So you can move between mirrors?”

“Simply speaking for your hamburger noggin to grasp, yes.”

“Thats how you knew my name.” you say flatly and unimpressed.

“Naturally. Name`s Hal. Might as well say since you are going to need something to identify me as other than ‘mirror’.”

“Oh….”

“It seems that you are unimpressed by a magic talking mirror. I thought humans dig this kind of shit”

“I can think things of more impressive.” You lean your elbow on the table to prop up your head by your cheek.

“As you lifeforms would say, try me.”

“Try a blind Seer that was raised by a dragon who wasn't even hatched yet and learned to master the ability to smell and taste color all on her own. “

“There`s no way thats a thing that could happen.”

“I thought so too until I met my friend Terezi.”

You suddenly feel a pang of loss ripping into your heart.

You won't ever be able to see her again.

“Dude. Stop. Don't do the sobbing thing again. It's gross and certainly not a pretty thing to look at.”

You hold the tears in and try to look numb.

“You are a curious one Jake. Now are you going to reveal your secrets to me?”

“What secrets?”

“Playing dumb will only work against you.”

“I don't know what you mean.”

“Yeah you do.”

“....No. I really don't.”

“....”

What the bloody heck is he talking about.

“Whatever. Forget I said anything. Anyway, I thought I should tell you that Dirk wants you to come and dine with him in an hour. Which is quite generous if i do say so myself, he doesn't even need to eat. There should be something congenial to wear in the closet.”

“Dirk?”

“The master.”

“Oh.”

“Although I'm not sure if you're permitted to call him that yet. I would stick to ‘master’ until he says otherwise. Anyways, see you there.”

The ripples in the mirror fade away. You stare at your miserable reflection wondering if you can really do this.

  
  
  


You are in your personal library looking for a certain book. You balance on the very top of a very tall ladder to reach the highest shelf on this book case.

You drag your finger along the book spines scanning the titles.

Unicorn Blood Charms, Curses With Frost and Frogs, Light With Rain, Diamonds and Mirth, Dragons and the Blind, Vampires vs Rainbow Drinkers.

Why aren't these alphabetized?

“Looking for a certain spellbook?” a beyond familiar voice says.

You ignore your asshole magic mirror.

“By the way I set up a fancy ass dinner for you and Jake tonight, just thought you should know.”

You almost lose your balance.

“What?”

“As a way of getting him familiarized with you. And as a means of preventing him from becoming cold and distant like you. The last thing we need are two repugnant fuckers under this roof, besides socializing will do you good.”

You are holding back a violent lash out. To distract yourself you pick a book off of the shelf and pretend to read it.

“This may seem hard to grasp, but he`s only a human. And he literally just lost everything in one swipe of a quill. Can you suck it up and be nice to him for one meal?”

“It was his own doing that lead him to this.”

“It seems that you want to remain miserable, it that it?”

You snap the book shut a lot harder than you should of, the sound echos through the giant library room.

….

  
  
  


Your name is Karkat Vantas. And you are supposed to be in your room getting some shut eye as you were ordered to do.

But you aren`t.

You made it seem like you were heading to your room, which you did make it all the way there, but then climbed out a window. Disobeying orders isn't something you like doing, but you will do if it`d for the sake of your John.

*Cough* You don't mean ‘your John’ like he`s particularly ‘yours’ or anything, but- you are going to stop thinking about it before it drives you mad up the walls.

You are going to see a friend that you are certain can help. Someone that you are only supposed to bother when there is an emergency. And you can't think of anything more of an emergency than missing royalty.

You sneak your way through the town, past your fellow guards littering the streets. John must've sent them back out to search some more. You are successful in your task of avoiding attention. It is what you had to be good at when you were a kid, you had to do it while growing up on the streets.

You make it to the town village exit and make a dash for the woods, feet not even making a noise as they carry you out of sight.

Perfect. Now just a few more hours of walking to go to reach the blind Seer.


	6. Chapter 6

You wander through the woods down a path marked by stuffed dragon toys hanging from the trees by a rope tied around their necks.

You're close.

You arrive at an archway made of marble with a teal symbol engraved into it. You walk through the archway. Which leads you to seven trees that look exactly the same in a perfect row.

You go straight for the seventh one and knock on it in a morse code series. The tree rumbles and sinks into the earth, allowing you to pass. When you do, the tree rises back up through the soil.

You're in.

You walk a little farther to come to an old treehouse poorly painted with a multitude of color. Ew. What is this person blind or something.

Oh wait.

“Karkles~!”

Oh shi-

Somebody pounces on you from behind, sending you both to the ground with a series of hysterical cackles.

You grumble face flat into the forest soil.

“It`s been way too long! Why don't you visit me more often?”

She is wearing a black shirt with the same teal symbol the marble archway had, with black pants and red shoes. The same outfit she's always had. She`s a troll like you, except her horns are longer and sharper protruding from her black hair that reaches her shoulders. And her eyes are pupiless and red, indication that her eyes are sightless.

You lift your head up enough to spit out the dirt.

“Yeah yeah the pleasure is mine Terezi. Can you get off of me now?”

She jumps to her feet and pulls you up to a standing position.

“I made your favorite grub sauce! Want some?”

You take a moment to process what she had said.

She knew you were coming.

Before you can say another word she pulls you into the grossly colorful treehouse. It's a complete disaster in there as always. Stuffed toy dragons lying around everywhere, chalk, crayons, and paint litter the walls, tables, floors,….and ceiling?

She sits you down at a small table with two chairs and practically flashes to another room and back with a pot of presumably that grub sauce she mentioned. Then takes a seat in the chair across from you. She leans on her elbows.

“So what brings you here today Karkles?”

“The way you dragged me in here I would think you were already well aware of my reasons.”

She rolls her crimson pupiless eyes.

“Well, you're right about that much. I knew you were coming. But I don't know why exactly. I maybe a Seer but I don't know everything.”

“So you're going by Seer now? What happened to ‘fortune teller attracts more business’?”

“Uhg. Demanding idiots is why. People would come to me with the dumbest things! There were actually people who came to me to ask how warmly they should dress the next day! Can you believe that?! I'm done wasting my abilities on ridiculous things. And we may be old friends and all, but I'm warning you now, if what you ask of me is a waste of my time, I will change the password to get in and kick you off my property immediately.”

She smiles widely.

“Although I know that you especially wouldn't do that now would you.”

Terezi Pyrope is one of the few entities of this world that can actually scare you.

“I snuck out of the palace, snuck my way through the village, and walked for hours to get to your treehouse. I don't think there is anyone who would go to such efforts to ask how warmly they should dress tomorrow.”

“Snuck out of the palace? >:o ”

“Yes. Although, It's possible that somebody realized that I`ve gone missing by now which means I'm possibly screwed. But they'll be thanking me if you can give me some answers.”

“Yes Prospit is being set up and the famine is no coincidence.”

“....what?”

“Oh, you haven't figured that out yet? My bad!”

She lets out a series of cackling.

“But seriously why are you here.” she asks slightly more seriously.

You stop thinking about what she had said prior and remember why you were there to begin with.

“It`s Jake. He-”

“Oh Jake! Hows he doing by the way? He hasn't visited me in almost a month.”

“Will you let me finish my sentences unlike everybody I have ever talked to in my entire life?! Well somebody give her a ‘I have interrupted Karkat fucking Vantas’ metal because everybody else seems to have one!”

She begins to laugh her head off, banging her fists on the table.

“Oh Karkat! How I`ve missed your temper!”

Your eye twitches at least five times before she composes herself once again.

“As I was saying. Jake. He`s gone missing.”

Her smile immediately drops.

  
  
  
  


You are standing in front of Jake's door.

Hal better not be shitting you this time, because you are actually going to have dinner with somebody. Are you actually looking forward to this?

Wait.

Would this be considered a date or something?

You shake that thought away and bang on the door three times.

“Hey. Food or no?”

Yeah real smooth Strider.

You begin to get nervous because you don't hear an answer right away.

“Is that an actual option or an order?”

He sounds as if he was trying not to cry or something.

Oh.

“W-Well.”

No Dirk. NO. Striders don't stutter.

You let out a brief sigh to control your impatience.

“Are you hungry or not?”

“....”

You hear a few sniffs and hiccups on the other side.

“N-not Exact-tly *hic*”

What is this? Let down? No. You aren't let down. Why would you be let down? You didn't care either way!

You whip around and punch a wall as you go away like a hurricane passing by.

  
  
  


You know you shouldn't still be crying. But you can't help it. You just, miss everyone. And the nagging fear that the master will actually hurt you is eating you slowly. And you haven't even been here for a day.

  
  
  


Terezi has _that_ look. That rare look she has when she knows something.

Something important.

Her lips stretch into a small smirk.

“I`m guessing you want me to find out where he is.”

“Considering the fact that he has been missing for a matter of three days now and all attempts of finding him has failed so far, and I went through the trouble I did to come here. Yes Terezi. I want you to find him. _Please_.”

“I`m afraid I can only tell you so much.”

She knows.

“Terezi, I'm not looking to play one of your thinkpan rotting games this time around. Just say where he is and that's all I need. I have places to be and people to find. So make it brief and straight to the point or I swear I will -”

“Yeah yeah yeah, brief, to the point, aren't I always?” she cuts you off.

You begin to fume.

“What did I say about cutting me off?! And no! I can count on one hand how many times you have been on the hoof beast`s eye straight about anything! And you-”

“You searched all of Prospit. Yes?”

“Of course I did! I wouldn't be here if I-....”

You stop and think for a moment, then a realization hits you.

He's not in Prospit.

You're about to ask something else, but you stop. The blind Seer sitting across from you almost seems to be in pain, he eyes tightly shut and her hands supporting her head on the table.

“I think there`s an omen coming through.” she strains out.

When her eyes open again, they are illuminated teal, like flashlights.

 

_“Trust is something earned, not granted._

_Hope happens to be enchanted._

_Reaching out to a tainted heart,_

_will require you to play a part._

_Remember the game of life will be hard,_

_especially with the aid of a bard.”_

__  
  


The Seer closes her eyes once again. She then opens her eyes to the same old crimson orbs she always has.

You don't really know what just happened.

“Do you know what that means? Because I have no idea.” she says with a tired scoff.

“No fucking clue. I didn't know you received omens.”

“Me neither, that's the first one I've ever gotten.”

  
  
  
  


You are now a mysterious man. A man that is sat perched on a tree far away from the village, but on a hill so the Castle of Prospit is in sight. You simply take in the sight. It never gets old for you.

It's beautiful.

 

 


	7. Chapter 7

You wake up.

Hm. What a dream.

You reach for your glasses on the nightstand next to you and guide them onto your face. Why are yous still in that room?

Oh.

It wasn't a dream. It was all real.

“Rise and shine Jake. Dirk has a lot for you to get done around here.” the mirror from your vanity table says.

You sit up and collect your thoughts.

Ok.

You can do this.

 

  
  


You are in the library once again. You don't know how long it's been since you went back to searching for that spell book. The last you remember was Jake telling you he wasn't hungry then storming off to here. You read off the spines of the books with your finger trailing along them as you read.

Dolphins vs Goblins, Basic Alchemy, Metal and Alloy Properties, Witches Wizards and Cats, the Official Guide to Understanding Seers.

‘knock. knock’

What the hell does he want?

You flash over to the giant fancy doors that lead out of the library and open one side just enough to stick your head through.

“What do you want.” you say a little more darkly than you intended it to sound.

The Prospitian is wearing a plain white long sleeve button up shirt with dark colored suspenders to match his black pants. Something that he probably found in his closet. He seemed to be a lot better than how he sounded earlier….wait how long ago was that?

“Didn't mean to interrupt you mate. Simply wondering where you want me to start.”

“Start what?”

“The cleaning of course. Might as well hop to getting it at least started.”

“Right. Start anywhere. Cleaning supplies are in a closet in the kitchen.”

He brings his hand up to his forehead to salute.

“Aye sir.”

He then turns about and marches away from the door, down the hall.

Um. Okeeeey.

You shut the door and begin to go back to reading.

‘knock, knock,’

Again?

You go back to the door and open it once again, there stood an embarrassed Jake rubbing the back of his neck.

“Sorry, um. Where exactly is the kitchen again?”

You swear to god.

  
  
  


You let out a sigh as you follow Hal`s directions to the kitchen.

Yes you had to rely on Hal because asking the master ended with him shouting and slamming the door in your face.

What a charmer.

“He`s actually not that bad once you get to familiarize yourself with his ways. Ok, that information wasn't entirely accurate. He becomes tolerable after a while. …...that's not exactly accurate either.”

Hal is traveling across the several reflections on the glass of the framed pictures on the walls, although they're so dusty that you can't even tell what's supposed to be inside them.

“It`s fine. I get it.” you say sadly and frustrated.

Mostly frustrated.

  
  
  


After searching for hours on end, title after title.

You've finally found it. The spell book you've been looking for.

It has a soft yellow hue with golden swirls that give it a golden glow in the light. It is unnamed. You simply know that it must have been written by some Prospitian witch. A capable one.

You've only used this spell book once before. A spell that ended up failing in the end. It's not that you weren't powerful enough or anything, that wasn't the case in the smallest bit. Turns out that your demonic powers are rather incompatible with the sort of energy the spell creates and resulted in the spell rendering weak. This time is different though.

The contract that was signed will allow you to use the right spell for the task desired by the contractor, in this case that contractor is Jake English.

And in this case, you are going to save a country.

  
  
  


You sneak through the village, yet again successfully. Now you just have to climb up to your window.

You climb up the side of the castle with the same rope you climb down the previous day. You didn't expect to be gone for so long, but you got lost in the woods.

Hey it got dark out!

You reach your window and pull yourself through it and land stealthily. You kind of feel like one of those ninjas from those plays you like to watch when the theater puts on those shows. Although your moment is ruined when you see John sitting on you bed reading a book. He snaps it shut and looks over at you.

You idly stand there waiting for him to scold you, maybe yell, and somehow punish you stupidly if he`s really angry with you.

“What did she say?”

Not the first question you were expecting, but you assume he meant Terezi.

“She didn't tell me directly, but she knows where he is. It was more obvious than a five year old human wriggler trying to cover up the blatant fact that they had done something that would for sure upset their lusi.”

“Well?”

“I can tell you that he`s-”

An incredibly loud booming sound from the distance cut you off. The two of you whip your heads towards the open window. There`s a golden light.

A bright as fuck pure ass light.

Yuck.

“What the actual fuck is going on?!” you curse, shielding your eyes from the light`s fluorescence.

“I don't know!”

The light just keeps getting brighter and brighter. You think you may become blinded by this because covering your eyes doesn't seem to be doing jack shit about blocking out light.

After several minutes of the world being engulfed in luminance, it finally starts to die down. When your vision is returned to you, your first instinct is to look outside.

What you see is something you wouldn't believe yourself if you weren't witnessing it first  hand.

  
  
  


It's been several hours since you've started cleaning. And honestly, you've only gotten one room done. Why the frig is this castle so dusty?!

Oh well. On to the next you suppose.

….

Maybe you should explore first.

Yeah! You might as well have an adventure while you're at it!

You put lean the grimy mop, which has served you well by the way, against the wall and take off.

You whip through room after room.

English Macaroons! Just how big is this castle?!

You don't even want to think of how long it will take you to clean all of this.

If it weren't for all the dust, the rooms would suit the tastes of a royal palace. Even if the gothic atmosphere of it isn't to Prospit standards.

There are statues that seem to come from places all over Derse. All sorts of antiques that would make any historian beg for. Like the cyclops statue. Or the eight headed spider dragon. You have a huge appreciation for these sort of things. John always thought it was weird, said that the things you liked were ugly. Like the stuffed dog you had as a kid, or at least what you saw it as. You know it sort of looked strange, its eyes popped out, stuffing sticking out in all different directions, tail missing, ears unmatching, had a missing leg. You didn't care though. You adored that pup! In the end, all that matters is that he was a superb companion if you do say so yourself.

You wander about the castle gaining more admiration by the second towards the master for being able to collect all of these artifacts. How did he come by all of these?

You then approach a locked door. This door is unlike the others. It has swirls of pink and fushia, and an engraved pink heart symbol in the center of it.

Perhaps the master doesn't want you in there, or anybody for that matter. Well what if you just-

As soon as you touch the door knob again, you hear a ‘click’ sound. The door squeaks loudly as you open it ajar.

That door was definitely locked a second ago.

....Oh no.


	8. Chapter 8

Everything is hazy. Somebody else is there. You can't even see her face. But she is holding you, in her arms. She`s telling you something, but you can't hear. Only the sound of yelling from outside drowning out her voice.

  
  
  
  


You idly stand there, contemplating whether you should go in or not. Maybe you shouldn`t. You don't know what sort of things the master hides in there, things he obviously doesn't want anyone to simply waltz in and see.

Maybe just a peak.

You open the door just enough for you to enter and cringe at the excruciating noise of the hinges creaking.

The room is rather smaller than the others you have visited, and unlike all of the others this one is rounded. The walls are made up of midnight colored bricks. Simple wooden cupboards hold all sorts of items that seem, familiar to you. Magic using items? There is what you assume to be a mirror covered by a cloth in the far corner. You will assume it's so Hal can't always see what he's up to when he does whatever he does in here. There is a window that leads to a balcony, a good sized one too. Its seems to be night fall due to how dark out it seems.

What really jumps out at you though is a painting that hung on the midnight wall. It seems to be a painting of two people next to eachother. A taller one and a shorter one sitting down. The taller one standing behind him with a hand on his shoulder. It's damaged though. Almost as if somebody scratched out the taller one`s face. The shorter one that wasn't maxed out of the picture seemed human enough. He had short ash blonde hair and fair white skin. The only give away to as to him not being human were his defined red eyes.

And there`s one small table in the center of the room. There is a small chest on top of it.

Naturally that's the first thing you head towards. It has that same odd heart symbol on it, except it's black. You reach out to touch it

  
  
  
  


“Kill the witch!”

“Burn her!”

“There are no witches in Prospit!”

“Go to Derse where you belong!”

There are tears dripping off her face and onto yours.

What is going on?

The sound of shattering glass stirs a sick feeling inside you.

 

  
  
  


A hand violently snatches your wrist and grips down.

Hard.

You bite back a yelp of pain and the scream clawing it's way through your threshold. The Glowing orbs that your green eyes meet aren`t the mesmerizing eyes you saw when you first laid eyes upon him. These are, inhuman. The eyes that hold the fury of-

a beast.

The demon picks you up by the wrist and hauls you back through the door. You crash into a wall. He towers over you.

“DON`T YOU EVER WANDER UP HERE EVER AGAIN!!!! DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME!!!!!!”

  
  
  
  


The woman carries you downstairs.

She opens a portal and says something else that's is incoherent to your child's ears, but not at you. A man steps through the portal, a very tall man with colorful tall  horns and skin that was grey but white in some areas of his face.

The woman hands you off to the man and hands you a big book. You clutch to like a life line.

“Jake.” she says with tears threatening to fall down her face, caressing your cheek.

“I don't care if you don't even remember who I am, but remember this. Don't ever let anyone ever tell you that you're a monster just because you can do things others can`t. Never. Not once. Magic is a gift, but it is also a curse. Remember that Jake.”

She kisses you on the forehead.

“Now go.”

The man sends a saddened look towards the woman.

“Go!” she repeats.

The man turns around, turning you away from the woman, and steps through the portal.

  
  
  


You cower before this beast, cradling your wrist that is without a doubt broken.

Can't take this anymore.

You run.

Don't care where. As long as it gets you away from him.

You run through the castle, all the corridors. Running blindly ahead.

The pain in your wrist worsens with every step. Damnit.

How long you have been running doesn't concern you, you just know that you are heading out the set of front doors.

The doors open for you and you dash out of them without any hesitation.

You keep running on for a good five or so more minutes before you are completely out of breath. Your legs buckle under you and you fall to the ground. Once your breath is mostly back, a horrid truth dawns upon you.

Not only have you left the manor and have broken your deal, but you are in the middle of the woods in the dead of night.

  
  
  


The next thing you know, you are exiting the portal to somewhere in snowy woods, still being held by the man. You don't understand what's going on.

A whimper escapes your lips, and you begin to cry.

“Shhhhhh. Calm down little brother. You're safe now.” a deep and slightly raspy voice says in a whisper.

He holds you tight to his chest. You feel yourself begin to calm down.

  
  
  
  


You can feel multitudes of eyes bearing down on you. Eyes that hold nothing but vile intent. Nursing your wrist is something that will have to wait, because they are coming. All of them.

The only light you have is the crescent moon threatening to be covered by clouds. Not like it was dark out enough as it was. Shadows all shapes and sizes creep towards where you kneel helplessly with a broken wrist. Petrified.

This must be what you get for being so selfish. Putting your own safety before others, what the hell were you thinking. Well, you weren't even thinking. You have to get back to the castle. If you die here the deal may become null and void. You have to get back to the castle.

You have to!

You jump to your feet and start kicking the low class demons away from you to make a path, then make a run for it.

Some of them start to grab on to your legs as you run. Some of them fall from the trees and land smack on your face. A snake like one trips you like a trip wire tied around two trees, then wraps itself around you like a rope.

You are now on the ground with demons literally pinning you down to the ground so you can't escape. Damn it's effective because you can't even move anymore.

Galldocks, well you suppose you tried. It was a nice dream to have. Being a hero and saving all those you love.

You lean back to prepare for the killing blow,

but it never comes.

A split second later, there`s nothing but blurs of white flashes killing off all the demons. The ones holding you down try to flee, but are diced into dozens of pieces before they can.

It all happened so fast, but all of the demons that were after you now lay in piles of diced up mounds of flesh and blood. You look up at your hero.

Oh. The master came after all.

He looks at you with anger.

Anger, but not the inhuman fury you saw from him earlier.

He crouches down in front of you, and honestly, this is the closest you two have ever been. The crescent moonlight is enough to highlight his pasty white skin and bleached hair. You will never get used to his glowing orbs. They will always catch you in a state of mesmerization.

You are snapped out of your staring when he lifts your wrist up to see the injury he inflicted. You don't hold back the hiss of pain that comes with it. He then scoops you up in a bridal manor and the woods are flashed out of sight and you are suddenly in front of the manor.

  
  
  


You don't know where this man is taking you, but all you know is that you`ll never see that woman again.

You will never see your mother again.

He takes you to a village covered by snow, but very lively. Almost welcoming. You then make it to the front gates of the castle.

The man looks down at you with his natural smile.

“Don't take this personal my pink monkey little brother. But I have to take that book. It's for the best.”

He gently tries to tug the book away from you, but you refuse to let go.

“I know it's hard to let go, brother. But it's something you have to up and do if you want  miracles to come your way. And there are many miracles in store for you bro.”

He pulls the book away from you.

“Believe in me bro. This book will be yours in the future to come. But it has a purpose to serve first. One that you will eventually up and be a part of.”

He looks at you with a confused smile as you reach up to grab his face, but you grab his nose and squeeze, _hard_.

“Honk! Ouch!” he cries out.

Then the palace gates open.


	9. Chapter 9

The castle gates open to a guard standing there, judging severely at what he's seeing.

“What business do you have troll.”

The man is trying to pry your fingers off from the clutch of his nose. Honestly, you just like the way he honks when you do that. You find it most amusing.

He looks to the guard.

“Tell the king that I up and and got something for him.”

“Sir, I can't just go to the king and tell him that some village troll has come to-”

“Gamzee! You're here!” a child's voice says from behind the guard.

The man and the guard look at the child. He`s in fancy Prospit garments and a furry winter coat over it. He has impossibly blue eyes and dark messy hair.

The guard steps aside and salutes, letting you and the man named Gamzee pass through.

The child leads you through the castle and to a throne room. There stands another man talking to somebody about something, but stops as soon as he sees you and the man and dismisses the person he was talking to.

Not many words are exchanged. Just a saddened face from each of the grownups.

“Thankyou.” the king says as you are handed off to him.

Gamzee bows to him, then turns around and heads out without a word. Not even when the child began to ask why he was leaving so soon.

You look up at this new man as he look at you sadly while in his arms.

  
  
  


You are sitting in a comfy chair, while the master is tending your wounds with a washcloth and bandages. Normally, you would be insistent that you'd do this yourself, but you let him. It's really hard to dress wounds one handed.

A rather awkward silence falls upon you two. The master seems to be a little too intent on wrapping up that bandage around your wrist tight enough.

You just have to say something.

“So. Does this mean our deal is null and void?” you ask with an edge.

“Deals with me aren't broken that easily. You have nothing to fret. Your wish remains granted.” he says in a monotone not breaking his concentration of wrapping up your wrist.

You don't mean to stare at him oddly, but he is acting weird.  Perhaps his way of an apology? You wouldn't get your hopes too high on that one.

He finishes up with wrapping and stands up straight.

“I assume I don't need to tell you, but don't let this happen again.” then he turns and walks out of the room. You see his way out, then once he`s out of sight, you lean back in the comfy ass chair. Like holy heckaroons this chair is really comfy.

You end up falling asleep sitting up with your head bowed to the side.

  
  
  


The man holding you doesn't  take his eyes off of you for a second.

“John. I want you to meet your little brother.”

The child turns around and looks at you confused.

“I have a little brother?”

“Yes John.”

“But I thought moma died a long time ago and that I couldn't have any brothers or sisters.”

“He`s your half brother John. He has a different mother than you, but you two share me as your father.”

The child John looks back and forth from you and his father.

Then he smiles widely.

“I have a little brother.”

  
  
  
  


You are now John Egbert. And a few days have gone by since ‘the miracle’ has occurred. It was a flash. A literal flash of light the came and went so fast. And when the light had gone away, the dying land of Prospit became a land of prosperity. All of the crops were in full harvest, enough to pull Prospit out of it's poverty. It was an amazing thing. But completely unexplainable! You even took the liberty to see the blind seer herself in the woods alongside Karkat, but she just cackled and didn't give a straight answer. She really annoys you sometimes.

But now that Prospit is back to it's former glory, you can finally go on that quest. That quest to Derse to find Jake. You and Karkat were planning to leave first thing in the morning. You two have been planning this ever since he told you what Terezi said to him. And if he`s not in Prospit, that leaves Derse. He's not stupid enough to go to Skia, a land in constant turmoil with itself. And he`s been to Derse in the past. You've never quite understood his fascination with Derse.

Oh well. All that matters is that he`s found.

You happen to see Karkat looking out one of the balconies from where you stand in the garden outside. He seems to notice you as well.

You wave to him.

He rolls his eyes at you and crosses his arms.

You smirk and sigh, shaking your head.

Sudden movement catches your eye. You head off to the side of the castle, where you are out of sight from Karkat and many other guards, to see what that was all about.

Probably some guards fooling around.

You arrive there to be proven completely wrong.

There lays three dead Prospitian guards, blood pooling out from them, lay on the ground.

You are breathless, quivering at the gruesome sight.

Somebody then covers your mouth from behind you with their gloved hand and pulls you away.

An ambush?!

Whoever it is trying to take you away won't have it so easy!

You do something that you only do in dire emergencies.

The windy thing.

Although you would do the windy thing if their glove wasn't drugged and made you out for the count.

Everything goes black.

  
  
  


You are now Karkat Vantas.

Damn. What the hell is that slow four eyed fuckass doing? He was supposed to meet you here a half hour ago! What the hell happened to ‘first thing in the morning’?! Did he chicken out on the whole adventure thing?

That sure doesn't sound like him at all.

While groaning to yourself about how inconvenient this is, you decide to sought him out yourself. Naturally, his room is the first place you check.

You knock on his door impatiently.

“Hey. Time to go. You ready?”

No answer.

“For fucks sake John!”

You swing the door open to see his bed perfectly made, as if he didn't sleep in it last night. You dramatically roll your eyes in pure annoyance.

Just where the fuck is he?

You continue your search around the palace, in every place you can think of that he would be. The kitchen, the library, the ballroom, the throne room, the training room, and nothing.You are honestly growing concerned.

Think. Where did you see him last.

The garden. When he waved to you like the dope he is and went in the direction of the back gates.

As you make your way to the garden, the castle seems to be growing lively. The servants bustling around and whispering things to one another with worried faces.

Somethings wrong.

The palace is only ever this gossipy when something has happened. Usually something not good. And considering how John is no where to be found….

You don't like this.

You quicken your pace.

“Did you hear?”

“About the murder?”

Murder?

You in your tracks to listen in to what the servants are going on about.

“Aparently three guards were found dead late last night heading towards the back gates.”

What?! Why weren't you informed of this?!

You break out into a run.

Fuck John. If he got himself hurt, you swear to gog you will-

Your thought is cut off when you see other guards crowding around the area between the garden and the back gates. The last place you saw John.

Shit.

 

 

 


	10. Chapter 10

You investigate the crime scene.

You are NOT to stand by and LET SOME IGNORANT FUCKASS KIDNAP YOUR PRINCE UNDER YOUR WATCH AND GET THE FUCK AWAY WITH IT!!.

You scan the terrain.

Three dead guards, multiple stab wounds on each, missing Heir.

That's honestly all the evidence there is that anyone can get out of this crime scene. You suppose you could analyze the stab wounds and track what sort of knife the criminal used to stab the guards. But what good would that do?! You don't even think that would be fucking possible with how many gogdamn times he had to fucking stab them each in one area!

Gog fucking damnit.

 

“Trust is something earned, not granted.

Hope happens to be enchanted.

Reaching out to a tainted heart,

will require you to play a part.

Remember the game of life will be hard,

especially with the aid of a bard.”

 

Why did that suddenly ring in your head?

You scan the area for more clues.

But someone, some troll, catches your eye.

Some troll that you've never seen before and is certainly not a servant that you've seen around.

What the fuck is he doing here.

You strut your way over to him.

“Hey you.”

The troll looks at you with a casual grin plastered on his painted face. Who the fuck even wears face paint as is it's a normal thing?

“You are most definitely no servant or any sort of worker of the castle that I've ever seen around here. So whats your deal huh.”

The troll closes his eyes to make his smile seem wider.

Ok he's really pissing you off.

“Look, if you don't tell me why you're here in a matter of three seconds, I'm going to make an ass of myself and create a whole scene involving your painted ass being dragged off into jail and me making a fucking stooge out of myself for sending an ‘innocent’ to the dungeon. Because that's just how Prospit works. Everyone and their undying ‘rights’. So fess the fuck up.”

“Don`t be so tense my punchline blooded brother.” the troll says casually. “It looks like we just got up in a misunderstanding is all. I'm here for the same motherfucking reasons you are. Honk.”

“Same reasons I am.” you dumbly repeat.

“Same reasons I am?! SAME FUCKING REASONS I AM?!!!!!!!”

You completely lose it.

“NOW LISTEN HERE YOU GRUB SUCKING NOOK FUCKER! THE REASONS I AM HERE ARE QUITE DIFFERENT FROM YOURS I CAN PROMISE YOU! NOW WALK YOUR SORRY ASS BACK TO WHEREVER THE LIVING FUCK YOU CAME FROM RIGHT NOW!”

The painted fuckface has the AUDACITY to put a finger to your lips in attempt to silence you.

“Chil my brother. I-”

You slap his hand away and call over the guards.

“ARREST THIS SON OF A GRUBFUCKER THIS INSTANT!” you hollar.

The guards come to your aid and apprehend him, pinning his hands behind his back and drag him away and you make sure to see this out.

What a pain in the ass.

“You know brother, you may want to hear me out on this one.” that raspy voice says from behind.

H-how?

“Y-YOU WERE JUST! HOW?! ….”

You stagger back from the face painted troll.

“What the fuck are you?!”

“Listen bro, I know you're up and got your feelings tied up all up in a not and shit. But believe me when I say that there's miracles in store for you. I can feel it.”

“You didn't answer my question!”

“I'm straight up telling you what it is bro, miracles.” He chuckles while making retarded looking jazzhands to emphasize his point. That is if he even knows what the hell he`s talking about. He could easily be some random citizen high off his ass. Then again, no ordinary civilian would be able to teleport right out of reprehandment.

You take a moment to memorize his appearance.

He is wearing a deep purple jacket over a black colored button up shirt and dark colored pants with grey polkadots all over them. What is this guy some kind of clown?

“Fine. Talk. I`ll just stand here like the fuckass I am, waiting like a sitting yellow feather beast mallard quacking itself away with the sounds of it's other equally retarded ‘pals’ plucking away at their own mustard feathers. So lets cut to the chase before I drive my insufferable thinkpan to insanity!”

 

  
  
  


You wake up.

Wait. Didn't you fall asleep in the master`s bigass comfy chair? How did you end up in your own bed?

You dismiss the thought and get up.

“About time you woke up English. Jesus, how long can humans sleep for. You haven`t as much as stirred for nearly eight hours. I almost thought your blood pushing organ had stopped. You nearly gave me a heart attack, or at least as you life forms would say.”

“My word Hal, are you always this sarcastic?”

“I suggest you get used to it.”

You make your bed, get dressed, and leave. Nothing really notable about that. You suppose getting back to work is the most logical thing to do.

Funny how the mop is exactly where you last left it.

You watch the water soak into the mop`s filthy bristles and plop it onto the dirt smeared floor. You honestly don't mind the cleaning very much. Its rather therapeutic to you as weird as that sounds. Watching how the mop glides across the floor, how it leaves a cleansed path, you admit that you enjoy every stroke of the mop at work.

The sudden sound of a squeak jolts you out of your daze. You turn around to see the master has slipped on the slippery freshly cleaned floors flat on his face. As he begins to look up, it is very clear that he does not look happy.

Then again, since does he ever not act like the spawn of Ebenezer Scrooge.

The master tries to rise from his hands and knees, only to slip again in vain.

“Do you need some help over there chap?” you ask permission so he doesn't lash out when you're in hitting distance.

He growls in your direction, almost like a mangy wild dog that doesn't want to be touched by a human.

You are a little taken back that he was even capable of such noise. But netherless, the display doesn't scare you. You are quite good with animals!

You didn't just compare the master with a mangy mutt.

“Don't come near me.”” he hisses as he tries to get up a third time.

Aaaaaaand he failed again. This time falling on his hands and knees to stop his face from hitting the floor once again.

You drop the mop and make your way over to his aid with caution. You offer him a hand.

He sort of looks at it for a moment, then up at you with ‘don't you dare pity me’ written all over his face.

But he ended up reluctantly taking it.

You pull him up to his feet, his orange mesmerizing eyes never leaving yours.

“You ought to be a little bit more careful around here. Otherwise slipping around like a bazooka will be your fate.”

“A bazooka?” the master repeats unimpressed.

“It`s an actual term.” you say in your defense.

Well it is.

He rolls his eyes and sharply turns around, causing you both to loose your balance. You fall on top of him on his back, and he falls face flat….again.

Banana slippers X2 combo.

Nice one.

It takes a moment to process what happened, but the master is literally shaking..

Shaking because he`s that fucking pissed. The ‘anger waves’ can literally be felt from the other side of the room.

Well goodbye world. Nice knowing you.

When the master throws you off him, you expect to be thrown across the room. But instead he throws you up to your feet and he gets up shortly after.

Wow. When did your two get awkwardly close to one another. His breath can practically be felt on your face.

He dusts off your shoulder as if there was actually something there then spins around, with caution this time, and continues on.

Mallards. He didn't lash out at you.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It`s been a little while since the previous chapter upload. It`s been a very busy week, but anyway I hope you enjoyed the story so far. And a special thank you for those whom have stuck with it this long, to those whom have commented, and given this story kudos.


	11. Chapter 11

Yuck. The castle of Derse has become so dreary ever since the new prince has taken over. You almost regret swearing allegiance to him.

….Who are you kidding. You don't regret it in the smallest bit. He lets you stab whom ever you want whenever you want, well anyone excluding himself.

Your name is Jack Noir, and you are carrying a fairly heavy sack over your shoulder and into the dark dark castle. Like seriously the prince not wanting any sunlight coming in is really sketchy. But more annoying if anything. He says it has to do with his ‘weird practices’ which you think looks exactly like magic but he ‘insists’ it to be ‘science’.

Like. Dude. You have two wands with you wherever you go. But the idiot excuses them to be ‘science wands’ which isn't a fucking thing!

Anyway, you don't really care anyway. As long as you can not have to worry about your compulsive stabbing habit getting you into trouble, you're good.

You enter the castle, pretending to not notice the guards trembling as you pass them. You turn to one of them to give them a piece of your mind- shit. You stabbed him.

The other guard absconds before you can turn to him and yell about that he didn't see anything and most likely stabbing him in the process.

Figures.

You continue through the castle and inwardly sigh at all the servants fleeing away from the halls as you stroll down them. Even when you make it to the throne room, the guards that were there were about to piss themselves!

You kneel before the throne.

“Mission complete, my prince.”

“And he's in our possession?” a voice said with an accent that would remind anyone of the sea.

You plop down the bag that you had swung over your shoulder. Then shake it upside down. The young Heir that you captured falls out and flops to the floor. He is clearly uncautious.

The prince rises to his feet and makes his way over to him. Then kneels down to get a closer look at him.

“Excellent work Jack. Now lock him up.”

Damn, you really don't like that tone of his voice, nor do you like the fact that he just told you what to do.

But you do it anyway

  
  


You wake up.

What happened? You wince at the shooting pain in your head. Are you on the floor?

Your heart stops in realization that this isn't your room, but a jail cell.

“Feels terrible now doesn't it.” a voice says from the other side of the bars. “Alone, have no idea where you are, or how you got here.”

You are lucky enough to still have your glasses uncracked. The source of the voice is a very well groomed man, or troll rather, with horns shaped like lightning bolts. He's wearing a violet colored shirt with all sorts of embroideries raining all over it, dark colored pants with white silky stripes on each side, and two thick shoulder pads draping a deep purple cape down his back that drags on the floor behind him, and thick frames around his violet stained orbs. This troll is clearly royalty.

You recognize him immediately.

“Prince Eridan Ampora. Prince of Derse.” you say to yourself.

His sickening smile confirms it for you.

“What business do your have?” you declare in your ‘royal like’ voice.

“Keeping your cool as a figure of authority even under fire. A true royal indeed, John.”

“Not something you can say for yourself.” you retort coyly.

His smile flips to a snarl as his hands tightly grip the bars.

“You have some nerve! I AM ruler of Derse! Your captor! I can have you executed anytime I want to. Don't forget that.”

“Yeah. You do have that power. But not rightfully.”

Testing the one who has you captive and most certainly can kill you anytime is something you wouldn't normally do, but the idiot didn't put you in a cell that can neutralize you powers. You can escape anytime you wanted to.

The prince steps back from the bars and holds out a hand. A crystal ball appears in it, and am image begins to form in it. An image of Karkat! With Gamzee?

  
  


You are now Karkat Vantas. And why are you listening to this fuckass clown again? Oh right, because you are desperate and have lost control over your life. Bravo Karkat. Fucking bravo.

“I know who kidnapped the Heir, brother.”

That line alone made you decide to continue listening.

“Well! Where is he?”

The clown`s smile goes from innocent, to one with obvious unholy intent. Holy Muse.

You sigh and roll your eyes.

“Name your price.”

He pulls out a small glass container with some sort of colored liquid in it. Something tells you that it isn't just some grub sauce.

“Buy one of my motherfucking potions, and I will perform my miracles. Brother.”

Your raise an eyebrow. That's it? Just to buy whatever is in the bottle? Although the fact that he said that it was a potion confirms one thing. He's a magic user, and clearly darker one.

You whip out your wallet.

“How much?”

His smile returns to innocent.

“Ten motherfucking silver coins.”

You pay and stash the ‘potion’ in one of your pockets.

“Ok. Where is he?”

“Our windy brother was up and stolen away by none other than the unholy one himself. The motherfucking Prince of Derse.”

The Prince of Derse?! You should of guessed that one yourself!

“Is that where Jake is too?”

“One potion equals to one motherfucking answer to one motherfuking question.”

You groan and hand him another ten silver coins and he hands you another bottle, but with a different color liquid in it.

He smiles widely.

“No my brother, he was not captured by the Prince.”

“OH COME ON! SERIOUSLY?! YOU COULD OF JUST TOLD ME THAT WITHOUT YOU STEALING MY MONEY!”

“Now hold up Karbro, I didn't say that I didn't know where he is.”

“WHAT IS WITH THE FUCKING ‘KARBRO’ SHIT?! I AM *NOT* YOUR BROTHER! SO STOP WITH THE HIPPIE MYSTERIOUS BULLSHIT AND- you know what. Why am I even wasting my time with you? Hell, I don't even know you. How do I even know you are telling the truth?”

The face painted troll reaches into his pocket and pulls out two dice.

“Truth dice?” you snicker.

“Legit as the mirthful messiahs bro.”

“Right.”

You swipe the dice from his palm and roll them onto the ground. Both of them land on ‘truth’.

“How do I know that these aren't manipulated by your magic?”

“Magic? I'm no magician brother.”

He snaps his fingers and a cloud of purple smoke streams out from behind him clouding your vision.

“Chucklevoodoo is far superior and more holy practice.” is the last thing you hear him say before the smoke clears and he is gone.

Tch. Cheap trick.

You guess you can't really trust him but you really have no choice.

You are going after your Heir.

  
  


Karkat is looking for you.

The Prince pockets his crystal ball and smirks sickly at you.

Wait a minute, he showed you that. He know that Karkat is coming to get you. Oh no. Don't say what you think he is going to say.

“I purposely put you in a prison I know you can escape. Because what is worse than being trapped forcibly is knowing the sole fact that if you even attempt to escape, I will kill your knight in an instant, making you stuck here by your own choice.”

“Do you honestly believe that I wouldn't sacrifice the life of one knight for the safety of my entire kingdom.”

“Yes. Yes I do. Because that's just the way you Prospitians roll. You put the needs of one before your own without a second though. Well, John. Welcome to Derse.”

With a swish of his cape, Eridan exits the dungeon. Leaving you to yourself.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know its been some time since the last update. I`ve have been quite busy with life and all sorts of other things. I am aware that this chapter didn`t have any dirkjake in it :(  
> but the next will surly have it!  
> thank you for reading up to this point  
> thank you for all the kudos and the comments :)


	12. Chapter 12

Organizing books. Joy.

No seriously, you quite enjoy this. You are sitting comfortable at the foot of a wall of books with a book in your possession. When the master isn't looking, you nose dive into a thrilling adventure tale.

Zazzerpan and his wizard colt are up against the legendary dragon with glimmering crimson scales of pyrope. Can they protect the remaining wizards with the little magic they have left at their becoming? But all magic comes at a price, a price are they willing to suffice? Oh! Will Zazzerpan give in and seek the aid of Calmasis, the lord and master of snakes and scaly beasts? Or was he just a myth all along? Wait…. Calmasis was a gentleman right. Or was he actually a lady?

You tear your eyes away from the book to think about that.

Its then your realize that there`s a certain someone looming over you.

Wait, he wasn't there the whole time was he? You really hope you're not in trouble.

You dumbly look up at the master and he gives you a ‘what the hell are you doing’ look.

“Jake, what the hell are you doing?”

Called it.

“Reading.” you say simply.

“I can see that. I mean what are you reading.” he retorts harshly.

“An adventure novel. ‘Zazzerpan and the Pyrope Dragon’. It's quite thrilling!”

The master seems unimpressed.

“I fail to see what reading for ‘fun’ can do for you.”

“It does plenty! It lets you unleash your imagination! haven't you ever read for you pleasure before?”

He doesn't answer. Instead he picks up a book by random from the shelf above you and proceeds to sit a few feet away from you.

Normally you-….. well this isn't normal. The master almost never stays in the same room as you for too long. You dismiss the thought and return to the adventure of your book.

Where were you. Ah!

Zazzerpan goes to confront the great and powerful Calmasis alone with nothing but sheer will and hope. Hope that the world can be saved from the beast's rotten tyranny. When Zazzerpan finally reaches the shallow manor in which Calmasis resides, he realizes that the pyrope dragon is on the move, for the crimson flames can be seen from miles away. An epiphany came upon the wizard. He should never of left his friends alone, even if he was trying to do the best for everyone. He-

Your attention is drawn away from the book when you hear the master violently snap the book closed and chuck it across the room.

………

  
  
  


Reading for fun is absurd! You have better things you could be doing! You through the book across the room…. ok that was kind of something a 5 year old would do.

Jake English looks at you with utter shock. Shock that turns to disgust, then anger.

“What the Holy Fix Nuggets was that for?!?!?!” he exclaims with obvious disapproval.

You shoot him a ‘tch’, which only seems to fuel his anger.

He shoots up to a standing position.

“You don't treat books that way! Not only was that childlike but incredibly disrespectful!” he starts to step towards you in the midst of his yelling.

“What if you poured your heart and soul into writing one only to see it thrown across the room like it was utter garbage?! Every book is an adventure and you just completely disparaged the hard work put into creating that!”

You are admittedly shocked at this display. You didn't think Prospitians were capable of anger. By the time you finish that thought, he is right in your face.

“What do you have to say for yourself!” he then stops in his tracks and crosses his arms with a stern look.

You look down to avoid eye contact.

“.....why the fuck are you so intimate about this? It's my book, my library, and my castle. I can behave accordingly however I want. Think again before you-”

“What kind of a sorry excuse is that?”

You pause. You really did have no real reason for mistreating the book. You suppose you've just been living alone for too long. Well, alone with an asshole mirror constantly going on about how much of an asshole you are.

You open your mouth to say something, but the sternness of Jake English`s gaze makes you at lost for words.

“Do you expect _me_ to apologize to _you_ for throwing _my_ book?” you finally say.

His stern gaze fades to a mixture of pout and about to tear up. The kind of face that someone has when they are holding back tears and trying to look strong.

Jegus, what a crybaby. You didn't do anything that bad.

Something. _Something_ tugs at your what you thought to be empty heart. Whatever it was, it makes you give in.

“I'm sorry.” you mumble.

Jake is giving you the most confused look through held back tears.

“What was that?”

“Don't make me say it again!” you hiss way more harshly than how you meant it to be. To make up for that you give in once again.

“I`m sorry for upsetting you, and for throwing the book.”

His confusion turns into a smile.

“No I'm sorry.” he says as he wipes away the tears at the corners of his emerald orbs.

“I guessed I got a little too worked up over that. I-It is just a book after all. Not like anyone got hurt.”

He ventures off to retrieve the book then comes back with it held tightly against his chest.  You take a seat at a nearby table as he puts the book in its proper place back on the shelf. To your surprise, he sits down in the seat next to you with the book he was previously reading in his clutch. A bitter silence accompanies the two of you.

“Books are my passion.” Jake begins, breaking the unwanted hush.

“Ever since I was a kid, I have dreamed about going on all sorts of wild adventures. I even ran away a few times in attempt to experience them. I even made it all the way to Derse once. But they were never the same. Probably because I had no one to share them with. My brother John always busy with lessons on becoming the king. And dad being occupied with being the king. It was lonely. I always ended up right back to where I belonged. Behind the protected walls of the castle. Alone. With nothing but the books from the library to keep me entertained when I didn't have those dumb lessons myself. Books, they brought my dreams to life when I realized that those dreams of mine would never come true. They inspired me to keep living on. To stand up and do something for once, and not be the useless half royal that should never of been.”

His rant certainly explains a lot. You sort of feel bad for him.

Wait….did you just feel something other than anger again? That odd tug at your heart? What the hell is wrong with you.

He places a hand on the cover of the book on the table in front of him.

“I know it seems silly. Pouring out my feelings to you of all people. I've never actually told anybody that before. Might as well since I'm never going to see anyone else ever again.”

“It`s quite fine. My lil bro would tell me those sort of things.” bitterness finds you again at that mention.

That's why you cringe away when Jake's other hand accidentally brushes against your arm. Hey, you've hardly come into contact with anyone for several years. Jake notices your reaction and scoots away a bit.

After another moment of unwanted silence, it's your turn to break it.

“I don't like reading stories. But maybe I`ll like them if they are read outloud.”

The suggestion makes Jake perk up with a smile that stretches ear to ear. He flips to a page in the book and clears his throat and begins.

Now you are not in the least bit interested in what he is saying, but you find that watching him do this is entertaining- no…...captivating.

  
  


You don't know why you agreed to this.

You are a demon with ghost white flesh and white wisps of hair. There`s a reason you cover up with a black cloak. Not only that, but you haven't been outside during the day since you were sent away here in your castle.

But here you are now, standing outside in your backyard, in broad day.

“Come on now! Some sunshine will do you good.” your emerald eyed servant says to you.

Oh, that's right. Because Jake said that it would be “fun” to read outside today.

It's only been a few days since Jake started reading to you in his ‘spare time’. But for some reason it has become your favorite pastime, what you wake up in the morning looking forward to. The reason to that is something you can't quite place a finger on yet.

Jake goes over to the apple tree and sits under it. You follow and take your seat next to him. He opens the book and begins.

“Once upon a time, there was a fair maiden that lived in the village.”

When he reads to you, you hardly even listen to the story. You just like listening to how Jake really gets into it and will make up voices for each of the characters. It's quite a knack he has going.  You watch the facial expressions pass his face with each character coming to life. It's admittedly adorable.

Fuck. No. You did not just call your servant adorable on any level at all. That simply wouldn't do.

A light breeze swifts through your white wisps of hair.

Wow that, that feels nice.

You adjust yourself towards the breeze a little more, and realize that your hand made contact with Jake`s.

Contact with another is not something you really like, but you find yourself not pulling your hand away.

There it is. That weird feeling tugging at your heart. A feeling that you aren't sure whether you're ok with or not.

You side glance at your emerald eyed servant, the feeling growing slightly.

What the hell is happening with you.

You aren't sure how much time passes, but it's apparently sunset now. The golden and red glow of the setting sun highlights the features of everything in sight. You have long forgotten the beauty of this time of day.

“....and so they lived happily ever after. The end.” Jake then closes the book and raises his arms for a good stretch.

You are almost startled at the loss of contact with his hand.

“Not the most thrilling tale, but indeed romantic. I feel that the prince should've come clean much sooner than at the end of the book about his feelings though. That would've made the story much happier. But a good tragedy ending with the prince`s death is always a delight. Well I mean, it's not delightful that he died. But it made the story that much more interesting. Wouldn't you say so?”

You are snapped out of your gaze.

“Yeah. I agree.”

He eyes you suspiciously.

“And the part with the dragon was quite a treat, wouldn't you say?”

“Oh yes. My favorite.”

“Aha!! You weren't listening at all were you!”

Shit.

“Why jolly roger. If you didn't like the story, why didn't you say something?”

“I-....”

You are at a loss of words. It's not like you can say that he's more interesting than the story itself. That would make you seem like a creep.

“No worries. Tomorrow you can pick the story!”

“Ok.”

This boy is turning you to the most uncool fucker out there.

 

  
  


You storm down the dungeon halls and stop in front of a certain special cell. The certain someone that you have in there is facing the old brick wall, away from you. His hair is long and bushy due to the extensive amount of time you've had him captured here to do your bidding.

“You know why i'm here, mutant.” you spit.

The troll sitting in the cell is still faced away from you as he begins to speak.

“Leave me be Ampora.”

Wow, much less wordy than he usually is. You're far from complaining though.

“Simply tell me what's to come next and I will gladly do just that.”

The troll turns to face you. You notice how his scrawny figure is looking even scarier than usual, his pale skin is waaaay paler than it should, the dark circles under his eyes look more like smears of coal, and his hair has grown so bushy that you can't even see his nubby horns anymore. He doesn't stand though, he's probably not strong enough to do that. His unnatural crimson red orbs remain as full of life as ever though. That light in his eyes has never faded away in the many years you've kept him here.

He closes those pools of crimson and squints.

“Someone from your past will stand in your way.”

“Wwhat? Wwho!”

Oops. You take a moment to correct your odd way of speech.

“Who is it?!” you hiss.

“The beast.”

“What?”

“The remaining Strider. The prince you coveted the crown from.”

“Imposible. He hasn't left that death trap since his banishment! He can't leave! And there isn't anyone who could break the curse anyway. He's stuck the way he is. He should have succumbed to the ways of a low class demon by now.”

“The beast`s darken heart is indeed iced over. But all ice can revert back to liquidate form. Allow me to refresh your memory of the curse. Our prince was promised a savior, one that could thaw out an iced over heart. And he will come to take back what you stole from him. You will fail.”

“Silence!”

You clutch the rusted bars of the cell.

“I will succeed! A mutant like you couldn't possible know!”

“I am a Seer. And I cease to be incorrect thus far. The Savior is already there with the prince. His heart has already started to soften.”

You whip away and march back up to your throne room.

“Get the Huntress. Tell her to report to me this instant!” you yell at a guard you pass in the process.

You arrive at your throne room and face the wall to contemplate. Also not wanting anyone to get a glimpse of your in a state of instability. Not a minute later, you hear somebody enter the room.

“My pruuurince. How can I be at service?”

Calmed enough, you turn to her.

“Nepeta Leijon. Master Demon Huntress. One of the best known to all of Derse. I have a job for you.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thought that a slightly longer chapter would atone for the lack of dirkjake in the previous chapter.  
> I will never thank all those who have stuck with the story to this point enough :o)  
> Thank you for all of the kudos and comments


	13. Chapter 13

“I assure you Mister Ampuuuura. What ever you have in store for me, I can undoubtedly handle.” the huntress says.

“That's ‘Your Majesty’ to you!” you scold.

She scratches the back of her neck.

“My apologies your majesty :3”

The huntress doesn't seem much of anything to you. She's small and childlike. Wears a dopey blue hat over her short black hair which fans out at the ends, that allows her candycorn colored horns to protrude through to visibility. A sleeveless shirt with a green swirly like symbol showing off all sorts of battle scars hugs her petite figure nicely over her small curves. Dark colored pants loosely hang from her hips with nothing but a belt holding them up. That belt has all sorts of trinkets clipped on that presumably aid her on the job, and olive fingerless gloves that make her tiny hands seem much larger than they actually are.

If she wasn't a troll, you would most likely mistake her a demon.  

“Now, the job I have for you is to take out an old enemy of mine. A demon that has succumbed to the darkness. Even though he's sealed away, inside sources tell me that he remains a threat.”

You draw one of your wands and give it a flick. A rolled up piece of parchment appears in thin air before the petite huntress. She grabs it.

“There is the place he is help captive. I must warn you. He's a very powerful one, and a master of trickery. Don't fall victim to his shenanigans.”

She solutes with a giddy smile.

“I've been in this business for quite some time. I know how to recognize when I'm being duped! Nya~!”

She's like a fucking cat….

“Splendid. If you follow through on this task, you will be rewarded generously. Now go.”

 

****  
  


Yuck. Derse is as distasteful as always. The gross purple-...well everything!

Now that you think of it, Prospit is really no better with the gold.

Ok. Mission get to castle as fast as fucking possible…..which way was the castle again? You facepalm at your stupidity. Perhaps you were a tad unprepared for this journey. You could of at least brought along a fucking map. Ahahaha. What are you saying. You've lost control over your life a long time ago. Fuck this shit.

You scour past all of the IDENTICAL buildings. A certain poster catches your eye.

‘Fortune Telling and Therapy’.

What a strange combination.

You pass through the already open door and walk into what anyone could mistake for some doctor`s office,

Is this really a fortune telling place?

“Can I help you with something?” a voice that makes you turn around suddenly says.

Her outfit screams “Traditional Seer’. You know because Terezi has an outfit quite similar, but never wears it. Something about not being worthy to wear it yet.

“I`m on my way to the Palace of Derse. Could you point me in the right way?”

“I am not one for prying, but what business does a Prospitian knight have there?”

“Don't you go and ‘twist my leg’ about it. You're a Seer, figure it out. Now would you mind pointing me-!” You stop mid sentence when she flashes from on the opposite side of the room to right in front of you.

You jump back a few feet at the uncomfortably close proximity.

“Fuuuuuck! What in the name of gog was that?! Ever heard of the human figure of speech ‘don't go bursting my bubble’?!”

She seems to be deciding something about you, it's hard to tell though. She's a Seer.

“You know. Not terribly long ago, another Prospitian on a journey came to me for directions as well.” the Seer babbles while she seems to have taken an interest in looking at a flower vase in the corner of the room.

This is going nowhere isn't it. No, stay a little longer. If you have learned anything from Terezi's shenanigans, it's that Seers always do things with a purpose. Especially if what they're doing makes zero sense in the beginning.

“Great. You're the tourist spot of the year for Prospitians. As a Seer, you should know that I'm here on no ordinary get away to ‘whiff the fucking fresh mountain air’ and such. “

“Indeed.”

“Glad we're in an understanding. And you must know that I'm on a tight time limit.”

“Not particularly. The Heir is in no such danger.”

“He was kidnapped!”

Why are you even still here?! You can literally ask anyone in town!

You storm out of the shop right there and then. As you exit, she calls out

“Simply go Northeast through the woods and follow the Deep purple path! That will lead you to the Palace!”

“There`s a lot of purple paths around here! Oh wait! THEY'RE *ALL* FUCKING *PURPLE*!!” you shout back and continue out.

****  
  


 

Your name is Nepeta Leijon. And you were puuuursonaly given a task to hunt down some demon scum by the prince himself. now your hear a lot of bad rumors about the prince. But there`s nobody who can really prove anything.

Now this parchment that the Puuuuuuurince gave you, it isn't very clear. It's just a picture of a mansion. No real information here.

You ponder about this mindlessly as you pass by a bar. Oh? Puuuuuurhaps someone can help you out? This is where you usually get your information anyway. Especially when it's an important hunt.

You enter the bar and sit in your usual seat. The bartender asks for your regular, you nod. He complies and places a glass of water in front of you. (You don't drink).

But the blonde lady beside you certainly does. Or. Doesn't? Either way she is completely wasted. Her fit of giggles and alcohol aroma conforms it for you.

She turns her head towards you sees you swig your water.

“Why h~oneeeey. Yoooooour at a barrrrrrr. Drunk sometiiiiing. Something. Somthng hard.”

Her slurs are quite annoying. You ignore her and roll out your parchment, asking the bartender if he's ever seen a place like this befur. He giggles at your little pun and shakes his head.

The blonde drunk looks over at the picture, eyes widening.

“Why Arrre yooo-you going there?” she slurs trying to sound sober.

“I`m on important business. Why? Are you familiar with this place?”

Pain reaches the blonde`s eyes and she takes a generous swig from her martini.

You know that look. This demon must of caused pain for more than just his majesty.

“OoOoOo Dirky. Why~ did you ma~ake mee do it?” she sobs onto the hard table.

“H-hey. Don't cry. I-I just-” you don't really know what to say. You know that she's drunk, but you can't stand the thought of someone being sad.

“Just. Um. Talk about it! Does it have to do with the picture?”

The blonde sits up with her head flopped to the side.

“D-Dirky w~as a gooooooood fr-end of mine. Bit he was taken oveeeeeeeeeeeer. *sob* I get it. Loosing a siiiibling is harrrrrd. Annnnnnnd demins react diffffffffly. Biiiiiiiit he went to farrrrrrr. Anddd I haaaaaad to lock him upi. With a currrrrrs~e. *sob* I dudnt weant to. I didn't-”

She takes another generous swig of her beverage.

“So~ I puuut him there so he wo-wou *sob* hurrt anymorrrre.”

“Where is this mansion?”

“Wo- In the wooooods. Pilice shdfijiiidjc div.” she starts to drift off to sleep.

You shake her awake a little longer.

“Which woods?”

“Loooooow clisssss demin tertiarrry. It's. itz *snore*.”

You pull away from her and get on your way.

You have a job to do.

****  
  
  


You pace back and forth in front of a mirror, pondering.

“Dude, you are going to put a hole in the floor if you keep this up. You've been at this all day. It's really starting to weird me out.” your asshole mirror says.

You ignore him and hear something outside. You go up to the window and see Jake feeding some low class demon birds some crumbs of bread. The way he smiles and giggles tugs at your awakening heart.

“Mirror, there is something wrong with me.”

“Shoot it.”

“Feelings. I'm _feeling something_. That isn't something that should be. Tell me. Did you trick Jake into putting me under a spell? Or perhaps you did it yourself?”

“It seems to me that you are being the stubborn ass you are and blinding yourself from the obvious fact.”

“Which would be?”

“That you want your hands in servant boy`s pants.”

“Don't be absurd!” you snap.

“I've seen this sort of behavior before from my previous master. Why you life forms insist on being in constant denial about your desires? Simply fess up.”

“NO because it isn't fucking true and you're toying with me one again!”

“Way to lose your cool. Oh wait, you haven't been the cool Strider brother in years. Ever since he-”

You smash your fist straight on the mirror, shattering it to millions of pieces.

 


	14. Chapter 14

Your name is Roxy Lalonde, and boy are you hungover.

Not exactly a feeling foreign to you. It happens rather frequently.

Very frequently.

Stupid brain for not forgetting the past when sober!

You slump to your feet and head out of the bar.

  
  
  


“Dirk! Stop! That guard didn't do anything!” you scream at an angry demon prince.

The demon prince's appearance has already started to change. His light golden blonde hair has become chalk white. Not uncommon for when a demon succumbs to a lower mental state.

Dirk Strider doesn't seem to even hear you.

Blood gushes from the guard's now severed head.

The glint in the prince`s orange orbs is something that you will never forget. It marked that something had changed in him that day. Something that made you realize that the boy you know and love was swallowed up by this…...this…..

……..beast.

  
  
  


You shake you head, pushing the flashback to the back of your mind.

Where it belongs.

  
  
  


You pick up the mirror shards, careful not to cut yourself.

Just why would the master break a mirror? Isn't that 7 years bad luck?

“Gadzooks!” you curse when you feel a mirror shard cut you hand.

Damnit. Now you're going to get blood everywhere. And you were being careful too!

“Hey English. What is your orientation?”

You turn your head back and forth to see where Hal's voice is coming from.

“Orientation?”

“Yeah. Like if you are in to cock or pussy.”

You blush at his statement and still don't know where his voice is coming from. If you were drinking a glass of water you would of sputtered it out.

“W-What kind of question is that?!” you stamer.

“It seems you're reaction is no different from every other human when it comes to their love life. Here I thought that you might be different.”

You give up trying to find him and continue picking up the mirror shards, ignoring your cut hand.

“It`s just. It's not exactly something everyone is comfortable talking about. Personally I think love is love no matter ‘what you're into’.”

Hal is silent for a moment, as if he's processing what you just said. You appreciate this silence, and try to focus on not getting cu- oh. Too late for that. Your hands and now covered in all sorts cuts, many of which are bleeding heavily (for a cut).

Damnit.

“Hey English, what do you-....you might want to get that cleaned up.”

“It's quite alright Hal. A few scrapes never hurt anyone.”

“Dude. Those aren't a few scrapes. All together you have eighteen cuts on your hands.”

“I`ll clean them up when the glass is all cleaned up.”

You continue on to pick up the broken pieces.

  
  
  


“Dirk. Dirk, at least pretend to listen and hear me out for once. Jake doesn't listen to shit I say about his well being, but he might listen to you.”

You don't look up from the spell book you're reading.

“What could be the problem?” you scowl.

“That mirror you broke like an immature spoiled highblood troll cut up his hands good. And he's doing nothing about it.”

You turn the page in the book.

“....So.” Hal says awaiting your response.

“So what?”

“Aren't you going to….”

“Going to do what?! If he doesn't want help, there is nothing I can do about it!” you snap.

“But aren't you worried?”

What the hell is Hal getting at?! You are busy god damnit! Can't he see that?!

“Fine. Be that way. I just thought that you might care, or something.”

Tch. Finally some quiet.

  
  
  


Later on, when you decide to head on outside to meet Jake, you notice the amount of bandages he has on his hands. Pangs of guilt immediately stab your heart.

So that's what Hal was talking about.

You could of healed them as your healed his once broken wrist! But you're selfishness caused you to once again, cause somebody else to suffer.

That night, when Jake is sound asleep, you take his bandaged hands into yours. A fuchsia light radiates from your palms and envelopes his, illuminating the dark room. When the light fades, and you gaze upon his sleeping face, you feel the ice melt some more.

  
  
  


Waking up is an odd thing. All of the dreams you had the previous night suddenly don't exist, and reality sinks in. But perhaps you are still dreaming. Your injured hands are as good as new. As if you never picked up any of the broken mirror pieces.

Weird.

“He`s a nice guy when you're on his good side.” Hal says from the mirror across the room.

“....the master did this?” you ask, still inspecting your hands in bewilderment.

“Who else _could_? Certainly not a magic mirror. And I thought that magic didn't work on you. Strange.”

“Yeah. Wait. What do you mean magic doesn't work on me?”

“It seems that my speculations were correct. You really don't have a clue of your capabilities.”

“I really don't know what you're talking abou-”

“This conversation is for a later date. For now, you should plant one on prince charming for ‘being your hero’ and shit like that.”

“Plant. One? Plant what?”

“You're so innocent. You know, make contact with your piehole to his. Isn't that how sloppy makeout sessions work?”

You burn up in embarrassment.

“W-W-W-W-W-WHAT?!”

“Or an ass squeeze could do.”

“HUH?!”

“Some grinding could suffice?”

You cup your hands over your ears in attempt to block out what Hal is going to say next.

He is right though. You should thank him.

  
  
  


You are on a balcony, looking out upon the terrain engulfed by darkness. It has been just another day in your cursed manor. Absolutely nothing special or out of the ordinary occurred. Killing time is something you are good at.

You stare emptily off into the starless sky with no thought in mind in particular.

You sense Jake's presence behind you. he's standing there, as if he's pondering on whether to say something or not.

How cute.

“H-Hey. Um. Master?”

Master?....now that you think about it, you don't recall ever giving him permission to use your name.

You turn you head just enough to glance at him from the side.

“Was it you?”

“Was it me? For what?”

“Sorry. Um. Was it you who ‘fixed’ my hands?”

You suppose you could say that you have no idea as to what he is referring to, credit isn't what you're after, but you have a gut feeling that Hal already said something to him.

You fully turn in his direction.

“Yes.”

Jake`s nervousness seems to go away, and a soft smile spreads on his lips.

Now he's walking towards you, and before you can tell him to maintain his distance, he has his arms wrapped around your torso.

It's true that physical contact is something that you would prefer to avoid, but what scares you is that you do find yourself wanting to push him away. In fact you find thoughts of going farther crossing your mind. Thoughts like those scare you. They scare you a lot. You are a demon. Hurting this boy wouldn't be much of a task at all, and that's a risk that you are too afraid to take.

You can hear Jake's heart rate speed up a bit. You can't tell if that`s a good thing or a bad thing.

When he finally pulls away, your instincts are telling you to do all sorts of outrageous things.

This _scares_ you.

“Why blimey! I didn't know you could do anything of that sort. Thankyou very much!”

“......Don't mention it.”

The two of you stare out the window in comfortable silence. A few minutes must go by before you remember something.

“Dirk Strider.”

He gives you a confused look.

“That`s my name. I would prefer it if you refered to me as that rather than ‘master’.”

He smiles and nods.

“Sure thing, Dirk.”

What's even worse is that you have finally figured out something. What ll of those odd ‘tugs’ at your heart mean. Why you wanted more than just a hug.

And that terrifies you most of all.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for the wonderful comments and/or kudos!! You guys are the best :03


	15. Chapter 15

_Clank  Clank_

“Wake up!”

You jolt awake at the first banging noise. A guard with a club that he presumably used to bang against the metal bars locking you away in this cell.

“You are being moved. Come along quietly.”

You stand up as the guard fumbles with the keys at hand.

When the cell door opens, every instinct is telling you to abscond, but the knowing fact that  Karkats wellbeing is at stake……...

The guard is far from gentle when he binds your hands in cuffs, but you refuse to let weakness show. You are the Heir to Prospit. Royalty doesn't show weakness.

You are guided to a cell next to an occupied one. Occupied by…. a troll? It's hard to tell. If he has horns they are hidden underneath his mass of hair. And his skin is way too pale for him to be healthy. You can't see his face. He is sitting, facing the wall.

Once you are thrown into the cell, and the guard is out of sight, you use your windy powers to cut off the cuffs binding your wrists.

You don't attempt to escape though. That would be downright selfish knowing what's at stake.

“How long have you been here?” the troll in the next cell asks without looking at you.

You visibly cringe at how scratchy his voice sounds. Probably due to bad health and lack of use.

“I haven't bothered to keep count.” you say fixing your glasses. “Couldn't be more than two weeks.”

He doesn't reply, and you are left with what you feel to be an uncomfortable silence.

“Why do you think I was moved over here?” you ask simply to break the silence.

“A simple answer comes with a simple response.”

….what?

“On the contrary though, there are some questions that simply aren't meant to be answered. Answers can be quite dangerous. Answers to those questions I mean. They can lead to undesirable fates. Fates that Should not ever be. That's why you should be cautious of what you say, especially if it is a possible offender. Then you just not only emotionally triggered that person, but you triggered an entire reality that can lead to destruction.-”

What the fuck?

……..yeah you completely stopped paying attention at that point.

…………………………….Holyshit he's still going. What the hell is he even going on about?! So much for his voice being scratchy from lack of use!

They must've put you in here as some sort of temptation to leave because this is going to be even longer of a wait than you thought.

  
  
  


It took a while but you think you've finally, FINALLY found the CORRECT purple path to take. Holy fuck that took way longer than it should of.

It would HELP if that enigmatic Seer would be straight to the point. But nope! That's just what Seers are good at. WASTING YOUR PRECIOUS TIME WITH UNNECESSARY DISCRETENESS!!

UGGGGH. You don't know how much more of this sickening country you can take.

You're doing this for him though.

The boy who saved your life.

 

 

 

You are now Karkat, several years in the past. You are sitting on the side of the road, lonely, hungry, and with no drive in life. You are only three and a half sweeps old, and your life has already gone to shit.

Your lusus died not too long after you turned a sweep, and so your ancestor took you in. Yeah, troll biology is fucked up and so anyone before you on the bloodline is considered your ancestor, even if they are only one generation before you. In human terms, this ancestor of yours that took you in would be your ‘father’. It's rather uncommon for trolls to be raised by other trolls.

Oh, and did you mention that he was a Seer. Haha! That's right! You've been dealing with them for as long as you can remember! Hahahahahaha! Your life sucks!

Anyway, the reason that you`re alone now is because your ancestor literally just up and left you one night while you were sleeping. You can't really seem to blame him though, trolls aren't supposed to be raised by their blood relatives. He was probably just tired of playing human. You know you would.

The only thing you were left with were two hand sickles, the kind that a threshecutioner would use. Considering how hungry you are, you would think it to be wise to sell them off for some silver coins. Ha! Not when they are your only form of self defense! Prospit`s reputation of prosperity doesn't apply when you live on the streets. Hey, you've picked up a lot of things up from living like this. Your fighting style, your anger, your bad mouth. It's made you who you are.

Hope your ancestor`s real proud of himself.

“Thief! Thief! Somebody catch that thief!” an old lady shouts as a young troll runs swiftly past you. You've seen her a couple times before, she's around your age actually. She's earned the name ‘the spiderbitch’ among you hobos. And from what you've heard about her, that title fits perfectly. And despite her bad personality, no one has ever tried to rat her out. It's sort of an unspoken code to not report those in the same situation as you.

The young troll dashes out in front of a carriage that was putting down the road which causes the horses to wail in surprise, and flail uncontrollably. The driver is kicked in the face by one of the horse's back legs, knocking him out cold, and they begin to race down the streets.

You don't know what came over you then and there, but whatever it was, you are eternally grateful for.

You chase after the carriage.

Being on the streets for as long as you have, you know all of the shortcuts and loopholes to this town. And your speed has yet to be matched.

As you begin to approach the carriage, you get one of your sickles out at the ready. And once your speed has matched that of the horses, you cut the reigns that strap the horses down. The carriage rolls a few extra feet before coming to a complete stop as the horses abscond away.

You drop to your knees and gasp for breath. You may be fast but you're not “super human”.

After what seems to be a little while, you notice a crowd beginning to form around you and the carriage. This is a little uncomforting, because they seem to be all staring at you.

“That was amazing!” a voice of a young boy says.

It takes a moment to realize that the voice was directed to you, and that it was coming from right in front of you.

You peer upwards, not exactly expecting your eyes to meet the impossibly blue orbs looking directly at you. The boy is wearing expensive traditional Prospitian attire, and is neatly groomed down to the last inch. Kid`s probably even wearing expensive undergarments.

The two of you couldn't be more different.

Then you realize how fancy the carriage looks, practically matching this boy's clothing.

Oh.

He holds out his hand to you, offering to help you stand. You decide that if this boy were to hurt you after saving his ass, then his honor is as existent as the absurd idea of you having a proper childhood.

So you take his hand. And he helps you to your feet.

“What's your name?” he asks.

You almost didn't catch that.

“Karkat Vantas.”

“I'm John Egbert. And I'm now in debt to you.”

You blink twice.

You step back and shake your head.

“No no. I just-.... I don't really know, but you don't have to pay me back.”

“Nonsence! Dad always taught me to give back what is given to you. And by saving me you just gave me a chance of life. So that's what I'm going to give you. How would you like to become my personal knight?”

…………….you did not just hear what you think you heard.

To become a personal knight to a royal family member. Your life would literally be from ‘rags to riches’, except you'd working, and fed, and even have a place to sleep.

This boy saved your life.

  
  
  


You blink away your sudden flashback. Some could argue that you saved his life, but you would beg to differ. John without a doubt saved you from living on the streets for the rest of your days.

You are forever in the blue eyed boy`s debt.

You are snapped out of your thoughts when you see a short troll walk passed you, ways away. She's headed into the woods?

Derse`s woods are known to be demon infested.

When she's out of sight, you shrug it off and continue on towards the castle.

  
  
  


It took a little while, but you finally found the mansion the Puuuuuuuurince sent you out to find.

The demon will wish he'd never been born when you're through with him.

 

 


	16. Chapter 16

The mansion is charmed with several protection spells. This demon you're up against must be very powerful to manage this.

No worries, you have several tricks up your sleeve.

  
  


“Dirk. It seems we have an intruder.”

You are currently in the kitchen with Jake. The two of you have torn apart the kitchen completely, following a cake recipe in a cookbook from the library. Don't ask how you got the idea. (It`s was Jake's, and you totally didn't agree to his idea like a sick puppy, nope!) And you are totally not finding how cute the Prospitian boy is when he gets really into stirring the batter, not a chance!

You are greasing the pan that the cake batter will go in and totally not staring at Jake in the process……………………….

…...damnit.

“Dirk. Did you hear me?”

You bite back a frustrated groan.

“We both know that you are perfectly capable of warding off the unwanted.”

With that, he doesn't say another word.

Jake tears his eyes away from his bowl of cake batter.

“Is something wrong?” he asks.

“Nothing to worry about.”

That's all it takes before Jake goes back to his entrancement of stirring.

  
  


 

It's no use! You've tried every potion, every charm, even an attempt spell. Hours you've been at it! Hours! The mansion is impuuuuurmeable! You've encountered countless demon barriers and have gotten past them with little to no effort. But this, you may have to pay a wizard to help you out on this one.

There may not even be time to do so. You've learned the hard way to never turn your back on the demon once they're found. Because they will never turn their`s on you. And with all the experimenting you've done on the barrier, there`s no way that he doesn't know you're here.

With that you`ll just have to make sure that he doesn't notice you actually penetrating his evil lair.

There has to be some way in! Then you will put that heartless _beast_ out of it's misery for sure!

  
  


 

You and Jake stare into the cake slowly cooking piping hot brick oven. It was a good choice to take off your dark cloak before you started this process so it wouldn't get dirty, because it is rather stuffy in here, probably due to the flames in the oven. Although what you are wearing now is probably no better. Black dress shirt and black dress pants. Hey, Striders always got to look their best. (Even if you haven't upholded that rule in years but better late than never) But jesus, it looks like you've just got back from a funeral.

“Well, that wasn't so hard. The way John explains it makes it sound like some kind of artistic secret that only Skaian possums would know.”

“Jake, there are no possums in Skaia.”

“Oh yeah? How would you know?”

“I've been there.”

He looks at you with amazement gleaming in his eyes.

“Really?!”

“Really.”

“What's it like? Does it really have chess people that live there? Are the fields truly in a chess board pattern? Are their horses only black and white? Is the sky as clear as they say?”

“Woah, slow down English. I haven't been there in years. But no, the Skaians do not look like ‘chess people’. Although, the ground miraculously does have the pattern of a black and white checker board. Their horses are just ordinary horses, nothing much to say about that. And the sky looks the same as it does anywhere.”

“Why do you think the Skaians declared a civil war?”

Woah, way to sullen the mood.

To change the subject you shrug it off and say you don't know. Then you two begin to clean up the kitchen.

“Say, Dirk.”

“Yeah?”

Jake is sweeping up the crummy floor as you fumble with the dishes in the sink. Hey, you're an ‘x prince’. You never had to do any of this shit before.

“I know that demons may not be very sentimental, but I was wondering. Now if you don't want to answer just say the word and I`ll-”

“Just spit it out.”

“Did you ever have a family?”

You freeze.

That was random. A few years back if anyone asked you that, you would of sent them to their grave. But now?

You push back the memories beginning to surface.

Jake seems to notice your inner turmoil.

“I understand if it's not something you wish to talk about. I shouldn't let my blasted curiosity get the best of me. I-I`m sorry.”

His voice lowered quite a bit at that last part. If you didn't have demon ears you're sure you wouldn't of caught it.

Fuck.

“My parents are long gone. Don't even remember their faces.” you begin slowly, avoiding eye contact with Jake.

“I have a little brother though. He, like you was the secondary heir. He knew that he would never get the throne, so he became a knight. My personal knight.” you look into the water in the sink and see flashes of your childhood.

“When we were kids, before I had to step up to the throne at such a young age, we would travel.”

You fall silent, it's getting hard to talk.

“Our travels made him the best knight there was. A-and.”

A tear threatens to fall down your face. When did that happen?

You borderline abscond from the room.

  
  
  


You seriously regret asking Dirk something so obviously personal.

Damnit Hal, you and your suggestions!

You hesitate to follow after him.

Perhaps he needs some alone time. Perhaps he doesn't want you to follow. Perhaps…. he's been alone for a very very long time. And he had to bear that pain alone all that time.

You chase after him.

He needs to know, that he's no longer alone.

And Charlie Horses this castle is huge! He could be anywhere!

You hear something fall over and break in a neighboring room.

Bingo!

When you make it to the entrance of that room, you are sure to approach quietly. Don't want to scare him. But wait, wouldn't you end up scaring him more this way? Oh good god you don't know!

Oh jeez, he knocked over one of his old and dusty statues. One that you haven't got around to cleaning yet. The poor creature lies decapitated. You know it's just a statue, but you can't help but feel that Dirk broke that one in specific. There are other statues lined up in the same row, and that one was around the middle.

You tear your eyes away from the statue and place them on Dirk.

He is facing the fireplace and sitting hunched over on the couch with his elbows resting on his knees. He is also facing completely away from you.

You walk to where he is and take a seat beside him. His eyes are still fixated on the fireplace, watching the wood burn and turn to ashes. The crackling sounds of the flames fill the dark room. An aroma of burnt pine contributes to the comfort to the warmth of the cracking sounds.

For a few moments, you and Dirk simply look into the dancing glow of orange and red. The mood isn't awkward in the slightest. You dare say that it's almost at peace.

Almost.

You gingerly place a hand on his shoulder. Even with such a gentle gesture, you can feel how tense he is.

“Dirk.”

You don't really know what else to say. But you know you have to lighten up the mood.

“Why the dickens did you never tell me that you were a prince?”

….

His orange gaze meets yours. And a moment later-

He's cracking up.

More than just  cracking up, he's roaring in laughing like there's no tomorrow.

You don't know why you find this so fascinating. It's no secret that his eyes are the most mesmerizing thing you've ever seen, but this-....

You're just not used to it you guess. He's only ever yelled and frowned as far as you can remember. He's actually showing REAL emotion!

And it's cute.

After several moments of his laughter, he looks at you with great amusement, and a smile.

And something else that you can't quite read.

  
  
  


Leave it to Jake to say something to completely flip the mood. Maybe that`s why it was so easy for you to fall for him.

It was so easy.

And that`s just why, you love him.

How innocent he is.

How he can do this to you.

You admit it to yourself, you love him.

“Jake.” you begin as you shake off the aftermath of laughter.

“I was the Prince of Derse.”

The look he gives you is of great awe.

“No way!”

“Yes way.”

“You`re blood royalty!”

“Indeed I am. So are you.”

“I told you the day we met! You never mentioned it at all until now!”

You shrug and lean back in the couch.

“You never asked.”

He makes an adorable face as he takes a moment to contemplate.

“True, I guess that explains the fanciness of this castle.”

“Fanciness.” You snicker.

“Oh shush!” he lightly pushes you.

You push him back a little harder. He forwardly shoves you. You shove him into the couch, pinning him down.

“So you want to have a round of fisticuffs Strider? I warn you, John could never beat me at this game. So prepare yourself now before you get whipped!”

You're about to retort on how sexual that sounds, but he actually manages to flip you over on to the ground, pinning _you_ down. You flip him off you, but he comes back around and flips you back down.

The two of you continue with engaging in ‘fisticuffs’ until a scent of burning chocolate reaches your nose.

“Jake, the cake.”

When you two stop at this dawning fact, in not a not at all suggestive position with Jake being pinned down beneath you, you release him and he absconds to the kitchen.

You are left in the room at another dawning fact. One that applies only to you.

You were smiling that entire time.

  
  
  


You are in the royal cemetery behind the castle. You do this every now and then to remind yourself as to how this all worked out for you.

How everything bent to your favor.

How you dethroned the previous Prince of Derse.

The secret weapon behind all of this.

You are standing before a grave that`s in the front most row, which means it was the most recent to be made.

“I owe it all to you.” you begin.

“If it weren't for your death, I wouldn't have gotten as far as I have.”

You are standing before a grave marked with the name-

Dave Strider.

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for the kudos and comments!  
>  (Psst, just because i don`t reply to them all does`t mean I don`t appreciate them they are what keep me going with this story and thank you)  
> I though an extra long chapter would make up for lack of dirkjake in the previous chapter, although this is a johnkat fic too, so I`m not sorry :P


	17. Chapter 17

You and Jake stare at the abomination in your kitchen.

“I suppose it could be worse.” Jake says as a matter of factly.

You stare at this…... cake? Well it was supposed to be a cake. But now it looks like something a baby dragon not accustomed to their fire power spat up because it was charred before it went down to their stomach.

Your face is once again victim to your expressionless facade.

“I don't suppose you would like to taste it too?” Jake says as he grabs a fork.

Your silence is enough for him to get the message.

He tries to fork a piece out of the  charred cake, but the ‘cake’ is too hardened. You take the fork from him to try, but even with your demon strength the cake just won't fucking- the fork bends under the pressure.

You look back at Jake with a raised eyebrow.

“What the fuck did you do to this poor cake?”

“We let it burn is what.”

“Burnt to a crisp.”

You two end up tossing out the cake, and clean up the kitchen as with the best of your abilities.

“I do say, you being a prince explains why your castle was as dusty as Fix Nooggles all that time. And why you can hardly wash a dish.”

“What the fuck is a ‘Fix Nooggle’.”

“Couldn`t tell you.”

  
  
  


It's now dark, and the low class demons are starting to come out.

Damn, you better get in there fast.

“It's getting late my sister.” a voice says from behind you.

You spin around.

“Gamzee Makara.” you say with a sigh. “What brrrrrrrings you out here?”

“I might as well ask you the same motherfucking question, sister! It's getting dark, and the unholy ones are about to come out.”

“I have to get in there! But the barrier is impuuuuuurmeable! And-....Gamzee, do you have a potion that could get me past the barrier?” you ask with suspicion.

His darkened smirk confirms it for you.

He pulls out a fuchsia bottle of what you can only assume to be a potion.

“This sweet elixir should do just that. But the real question is, are you willing to pay the motherfucking price that comes with it?”

You already have silver coins at hand.

“And I don't mean the literal price. I'm talking about something much more subsequent. All magic, including my chucklevoodoo has a price. I decided a long time ago that I was willing to pay whatever price that came along later for its practice. Now, are you willing to do the same, sister?”

“I asuuuuuuuure you, I'm no stranger to magic.”

His dark grin deepens and you exchange the silver coins for the bottle.

  
  
  


You watch the clown hand over a potion to the intruder from a window on the top floor.

“Hal. Engage the second round of security.”

“Already done.”

You storm away from the window, dark colored cape flowing behind you in your new, more princely outfit of black. A button up shirt with grey embroideries of swirls tucked into a pair of dark colored pants. Your hair carefully styled in your usual side sweep hair (it looks the same only neater). Black shined boots make you seem even taller than you are. Your ugly pasty corpse like skin and bleached hair make quite the contrast to your well picked garments. And your eyes, the only real color to this display, have a new found glint in them.

“Good.”

Jake should be going to bed really soon. That way he can stay out of this mess.

  
  


 

Dressing for bed with the paranoia of a mirror possibly stalking you from the corner is more distressing than one may think. That`s why you make sure to get dressed quickly.

You are about to slip under the covers.

“You truly are something Jake. And I know that probably doesn't mean much coming from a magic mirror, but I just wanted you to know that.”

“Where`s this coming from?”

“Dirk has warmed up to your for one thing.”

“Anyone can warm up to someone.”

“It takes a special person for Dirk Strider to warm up to.”

You can't hide the tired smile that comes to your lips from the mirror in the corner of the room as you get up on your bed.

“That's right English. Let it sink in and go to your mind of meat. You are a good person. Be stubborn about it if you want.”

“I just followed your advice. You're the one who told me to ask him about his family.”

You pull the covers over your form.

“That may be so, but you were ultimately the one who got it out of him. Could you imagine me asking him that? Holy hell that wouldn't be a happy ending.”

You couldn`t agree more.

“By the way, if you happen to hear any noise outside this room, stay put.”

“What sort of noise?”

“Do the logical thing and listen to the one with superior knowledge.”

“Hal, what are you talking about?”

He doesn't reply. And you are left with a bad feeling gnawing away at you.

Dirk.

  
  
  


You have never been so happy to see the Prince of Derse, because as soon as he comes in the room, the troll in the neighboring cell finally shuts up.

The Prince looks to the troll behind bars.

“Has the huntress taken out the target yet?” he asks tiredly.

“Not yet. But she has just accepted aid of a bard.”

“A BARD?! Are you shitting me?!”

“It`s because if the help she accepted that she made it past the barrier.”

“So she's in the mansion?”

“Yes. She made it inside in only a day.”

The Prince relaxes at that answer. With that, he whips around and takes his leave.

No wait, don't go yet! Damn.

A few moments later, the troll starts talking again.

Make it stop!

  
  
  


You have infiltrated the mansion! As annoying that clown can be, he can actually be of some use.

You are cuuuuuuuuurently prowling around in the vents of this evil lair.

Now you just have to find him and take him out!

….Wherever he may be.

You search up from the vents for now. You have the lightest step you know, this makes you all the less trackable in operations such as these.

You can sense his demonic energy now. You're close.

Hm…. doesn't feel particularly strong. Puuuuurhaps he's a devil spawn mastermind rather than a full force fighter. You've dealt with those before.

You approach the area the energy was emitting from.

The demon is tall and human like with side swept snow white hair. He is facing away from you.

Wait for it……….. and…………… NOW!!

You flash from the vent and slice the demon in half with your retractable diamond coated claws.

That was easy……. too easy-SHIT!

Fuschia colored beams form a mini cage around you.

Dammit. You had him! His energy was emitting-

“I admit, you're good.” You whip around to see the source of the voice. It's the demon you cut down! You turn to the cut down body, and it's still there!

“The very fact alone that you could get this far is astounding. But I cannot allow you to continue wondering about my castle targeting me. That makes you a danger to the others here.”

Others?

“Who was it that I cut down.” you say somberly. You really hate killing unecesarily.

“A low class demon I lured to be the bait. I dressed it up real well to look like me.” he says with no emotion once so ever.

You look at him with an angry yet sad expression and clench your teeth.

You can feel the demon's true energy now. It's a perfect match to that other one, except much more powerful. _Tenfold._

“You did more than dress him up.” you say as a portal appears beneath the prison and begins to sink down to where ever the portal may lead. Looking into his piercing orange gaze, you now know what you are truly up against.

He's a royal class.

One who can manipulate, rewrite, and _destroy_ souls.

“This isn't over.” you say grimly right before you he is out of sight and you are sent to the dungeon.

  



	18. Chapter 18

As the King of Prospit, you have many concerns.

But you are a very caring person, and you worry a lot regardless as to if it's your concern or not.

You have always been that way.

But now, you have two sons that have gone missing.

And you have never been more worried in your whole life.

But you are the King. You can't simply drop everything you're doing and join the knights in their search for them.

You would never jeopardize the safety of an entire population.

But it's hard not to.

So hard.

And you have done everything you can for now.

You suppose you simply have to rely on the sheer hope that your elder son`s knight will succeed in his quest in Derse.

John.

Jake.

Please be safe.

  
  
  


You hardly slept last night. How could you?!

With Hal getting you all freaked out like that!

You left your room real early, before the sun even began to rise from the horizon.

When you find the master sound asleep on the couch in one of the living rooms, you immediately relax, and let out the breath you didn't realize you were holding in.

You pull a blanket up over him.

He looks so at peace like this. With his white corpse skin it almost seems as if he is in his final resting place.

Wait.

You begin to freak out once again and lean in real close to his face without thinking, but then relax when you feel soft puffs of warm air coming from his nose.

You jump back in a blushing mess at the realization of the close proximity and head out to take your leave the room before it can only get all the more akwar-

“Jake?”

Oh mother of Killian Jones.

You freeze mid footstep and whip around.

“I can explain! I was-”

You are cut short when your see the smug smirk plastered across his face.

“W-what it with that look?!”

He fully sits up, smug expression never leaving your embarassed.

“You know I'm perfectly ok with you checking me out, English. Just ask next time, and make sure I'm awake.”

“I wasn't checking you out I swear!”

“And if you like what you see I can strike a pose.”

“Strider!”

“I have a pole downstairs-”

“STRIDER!!”

He full out laughs at your probably steaming beat red face.

As cute as his laugh is, he shouldn't make fun of you like that!

Wait….. did you just think that his laugh is cute?

You shake away that thought and focus at the situation at hand.

He's acting like a child!

You march out of the room to emphasis how mad you are and make your way down to the kitchen.

“It seems that you are being really uptight. I find nothing embarrassing about assisting you with your human urges. I can show you replays of him stripping down.”

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DOESN'T ANYONE HAVE SHAME IN THIS GOD FORSAKEN CASTLE!!!!!!!!

  
  
  


Ok.

You can do this.

Just. _Breathe._

You are currently trapped in the dungeon of this evil fortress. But not for much longer.

You pull out a vial of blue liquid from your wonderful belt of tools that a demon hunter would kill to get their hands on.

You recall who gave this to you.

It was a Seer.

Funny girl she was. Had a real knack for writing!

She said that this potion would aid you in a future escape, and honestly you couldn't think of a better time than now.

You pop out the cork sealing the vial and put the top to your lips, taking in the scent. Like taking a shot of alcohol, you jerk your head upwards and allow the elixir to glide down your throat.

You don't feel it at first, and begin to doubt the Seer`s honesty.

Suddenly-

You feel really cold,

and sleepy.

Then a moment later, the drowsiness passes.

You put an arm out through the magic fuchsia prison with ease.

  
  


You.

Are.

So.

DONE!

How can anybody talk for almost three days straight?!

A new fucking record has been set!!

Ha!

AHAHAHAHA!

God, you really need to get out of this dungeon.

It's been more bearable since the crazy troll, who you've come to find out is a Seer (explains why he's so difficult to handle) has taken a nap.

Suddenly, the Prince of Derse enters the dungeons and approaches your cell.

“Please let him sleep.” you begin in a hushed tone. “He`s been talking nonstop about Merlin knows what.”

“Oh don't worry, I haven't come for him.”

Using process of elimination, considering the insufferable troll and yourself are the only ones that you've seen as prisoners in this dungeon, he's talking about you.

You know, why aren't there any other prisoners here?

“Your little knight has come a long way. Don't you know?”

Your stomach drops.

You don't like where this is going.

“Such a, _loyal,_ dedicated one. Isn't he.”

You won't drop your strong facade. You can't let that happen.

Eridan holds out and hand and a crystal ball appears floating in his palm. An image of Karkat appears in the reflection. The castle of Derse can be seen from where his is. And he's almost here!

“I have been observing this knight of yours. And I must say that I am thoroughly impressed. Such will. Such determination. I dare say that he may even make it into the palace.”

Oh no.

He eyes you with a slight smirk and a sadistic glint in his eyes.

“I might have to rid of him myself if he-”

“DON'T YOU LAY A FINGER ON HIM YOU FILTHY ASSHOLE!!”

You completely loose your cool. The wind begins to pick up in the dungeons. The guards near by are all visibly frightened. The way they look at you, as if you are some force bot to be reckoned with. They can feel your _wrath_.

You've also been around Karkat long enough for him to have that sort of influence on you.

Eridan stares you down, still smirking.

“You better cut that shit out before something actually does happen to him.”

You then come to your senses. Unwillingly, you stand down. The wind stops and you sit back down in your cell.

“Good. but I'm afraid you are going to have to take more dire measures to save him after you pulled that stunt.”

You can't believe what you are hearing.

“Now all magic has it's price. I'm not entirely sure you've paid that price just yet.”

What is he getting at.

“I'm sure Prospit has been doing exceptionally well ever since the “Great Miracle” happened. Yes? No more poverty?”

That purple bastard!

“What do you want from me?”

“You are too dangerous to be kept the way you are Egbert. I want a little assurance.”

A spinning wheel appears in your cell.

Your eyes go wide. You've heard about this kind of magic and how it's been banned for centuries.

And how only select few have the capability to cast curses such as these.

How the curse works is that someone pricks their finger in the spindle of the spinning wheel, and they fall under a deep sleep. While the victim is slumbering the castor of the curse feeds off of the victim`s energy.

He must want your power.

You turn back to the Prince and look into the crystal ball that still floats in the palm of his hand.

Karkat.

That then and there is when an epiphany comes over you.

“It was you. You used banned magic to cast a curse on the Prospitian land. You were sucking out the energy from the land! That's why you're so powerful!”

The smirk smeared on the Prince's face falls.

Something must of happened that made it impossible for him to suck out the energy anymore.

A counter curse made of pure hope from the heart.

That was what the “Great Miracle” was!

But who is the one who cast it?

“So are you going to sit idly by while your knight dies or not! I may just throw in the lives of the Prospitian _population_ along in there. Just because the curse is lifted, doesn't mean I can't harm them!” the Prince suddenly shouts, snapping you from your thoughts.

Your blue orbs look back at the spinning wheel, then at the image of Karkat in the crystal ball, then dead straight in the eyes of the Prince.

“If I do this, everyone will be safe.”

“Well, they won't die.”

You reach your hand out towards the razor sharp spindle, eyes not leaving his.

The Violet Prince seems far too anxious for you to go on with it.

Haha. You suppose this is it.

Wordlessly, you place your index finger on the spindle, and press down.

Hard.

Red blood seeps from the wound, and you let the drowsiness take a hold of you.

By the time your legs give out, you are already uncautious.

It's all up to you now Karkat.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You suppose that no dreams are normal.

You be damned if you had a ‘normal’ dream.

But there is something different.

Something different about this one.

Probably due to the fact that you're under a sleeping curse.

This time is just…..well you can't quite place a finger on it. It just seems more….

…….real.

You are in a forest.

A magical one!

The forest shimmers gilded gold and bright green sparkles. A cky of clear blue lights up the horizon of colors to hue. Flowers of every color line the edges of the path. A path that leads to an unknown.

……….or perhaps not.

You follow this path.

To a journey into the unknown.

You see something approaching you. An animal? Some king of beast? Or a person?

Upon further inspection you can confirm that it is indeed a person.

Wait…… he looks like you, but not.

……….Jake?

“John?” a familiar voice echos.

It is Jake!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was going to stop it right when John fell asleep, but I`m not Hussie X0P  
> I give my readers at least a little hope  
> And thank you thank you thank you for all of the comments and kudos!!!!  
> You guys are the best!!!!


	19. Chapter 19

Your name is Jake English and you only recall one other time when you were this excited to see your brother.

“John!”

You make a run for it and leap into a bone crushing hug for a warm brotherly reunion.

“John! I can't believe that you're here!”

“I-I can't either. Um. Where is here?” he asks sounding very confused.

You pull away from him with a chuckle.

“We're in a dream of course! I know that you aren't actually here, but by golly it's good to dream!”

“H-how do you- ooof!”

You pull the slightly taller boy into another hug.

“I miss you.” you say meaning every word.

Your dork brother hugs you back, and you can feel the power of brotherhood kick in.

“I miss you too.”

After a good moment of bro hugs, he pulls away.

“Jake. Can you tell me what happened? How you went missing? Where are you in the real world?”

“Good gravy John, slow down will you.”

“Oh please, I don't talk anywhere near as much as the guy in the cell next to me. He went on for almost three days straight! Three fucking days! How is that even possible?!”

“Lord, you- wait. Cell?”

“Uh yeah, I kinda got kidnapped by the Prince of Derse soooooo-”

“Kidnapped!”

“Yeah, don't worry I'm not in any danger I promise!” his smile drops a bit. “I`m not dead.”

You eye him with disbelief.

“John. Just because you aren't dead doesn't mean you're ok. If there`s anything wrong you can tell me.”

“Hehe. I would of thought that being under a sleeping curse would be much more of a painful experience. But this is actually really nice.”

You don't like the way he is tiredly smiling at you.

“D-did you just say ‘Sleeping CURSE?!”

“Heh yeah. Kinda had to do it. My well being for the sake of a population….and Karkat.”

Wow, the apple doesn't fall very far from the tree now does it.

“But hey it's not so bad! I get to dream about a magical forest, and I get to dream about seeing you!”

His smile never leaves his face, but you can clearly see the pain in his eyes.

“I miss you.”

For a moment there, you almost forgot that this is just a dream.

“Yeah. The manor can get rather lonely sometimes. Especially with two shuck busters to tease you almost every chance they get. *Siiiiiigh*”

“Manor? That's right, Jake where _are_ you?”

“I made a deal with the ex Prince of Derse who happens to be a demon in order to save Prospit from the hard times, and my end of the bargain was that I would never leave his castle.”

“Holyshit! You made a deal with a demon! Jake what the hell were you thinking?!”

“I know! I know! Don't have to remind me. Besides it's not all that bad. It was hard at first due to Dirk`s bad temper. But he's….he`s changed. He's happier now.”

You smile to yourself.

“Dude. Don't fall for your captor. That would make it a really weird story of stockholm syndrome, and just plain fucked up.”

“W-What?!” you fume probably madly blushing red. “That`s complete balderdash! Besides he didn't kidnap me I made the choice to stay!”

“Yeah whatever dude. Be in denial if you want. But you are so ‘horns over heels’. :B “

“Oh and you're one to talk mister ‘fell for my knight and shining’!”

“Hey me falling for my knight is far more healthy than you falling for that demon.”

“Not all demons are bad! And I haven't fallen for Dirk! That`s just like you said, ridiculous!”

John looks at you with fondness.

“Man, are you sure you aren't actually here? This conversation just seems too….real.”

“Not a chance. Although this is the first time I've seen someone else here.”

“You've been here before?”

“Almost every night for the past few months. That's how I know that this is all a dream.”

Disappointment fills his sapphire orbs.

“I see.”

The vision of being in the forest with John begins to fade.

“H-hey what`s happening to you?!” John panics.

“Don't worry ol chum. It's just time for me to wake up.”

“Will I ever see you again?”

“Don`t know. Maybe!”

And with that, your eyes snap open to be fixated on the bedroom ceiling.

What a pleasant dream you had. But it also made you remember just how much you miss your brother, and everybody else for that matter.

“Humans talking in their sleep isn`t something that's out of the ordinary, right?”

You sit up to look at the mirror in the corner of your room.

“Thought you were supposed to have all the answers Hal.”

“I have plenty more answers than what your incompetent monkey brains can grasp. But seriously. What you were doing last night was really creeping me out. It was like a full on half of a conversation that I feel was rather on what you beings call ‘on the personal side’.”

You think back to what might be personal about your dream. The part where you were talking about ‘falling for someone’ immediately comes to mind.

Heating up in embarrassment, you pick out some clothes and change in the one spot of the room that you've discovered is out of mirror range.

  
  


You are now the Prince of Derse, and you feel………

…….nothing different.

What the glub?! The main point of casting that curse was to gain more power! Why isn't it working?!

You practically break down the door to the throne room to see a certain clown sprawled out, laying on your throne like a bed- literally! And the fact that he's helping himself to a bowl of grapes, which is supposed to be for you- only adds to the irritation!

“What's got you all up and heated, brother?” he says aloofly.

“You! Get the fuck off my throne!”

He sits up with his legs in ‘criss cross grub sauce’, still munching on your grapes.

“Wwhat the glub give you the right?!”

Damnit. Again wwith the accent.

Uuuuuuuuugh.

“You didn't answer my motherfucking inquiry.” he says completely ignoring your command and plopping a grape into his mouth.

Jegus Christ.

You let out an irritated sigh and rub your palm over your face in frustration.

“The sleeping curse you gave me. It isn't wworking.”

“These things take time brother. Especially with one on the far end on the unrighteous scale. Just be patient, slam a cold drink and get your relax on in the mean time.”

“And if it doesn't?!”

“It will.”

“Howw do you know?!”

“Just trust me brother. Let fate do its bidding.”

You pause for a good moment.

“Wwhat I don't get is wwhy *cough* why you're doing this?”

The clown stares down into the bowl of grapes, with aged eyes.

“I`ve been around for a very long time.” he begins with a tone that you could only describe as nostalgic. “Seen a lot of things. Made a lot of friends, enemies. There comes a time, where it all gets motherfucking…… old. Eventually you learn to just go with it.”

He looks up from the bowl, about to plop a few more grapes into his mouth.  

“By the way, you never told me who you decided to up and motherfucking curse.”

“Tch. That's an easy. Who better than the Heir of your soon to be enemy country.”

For a moment, time seems to stand still. The mood noticeably changes dramatically. And the clown is no longer in your chair, but flashed right out in front of you.

Somehow, he doesn't seem like the same bozo whom you've made a deal with. His eyes are blood red around the pupil, and his fangs bared into a deadly snarl. And pure rage radiating off him.

“You. Did. WHAAAAAAAT?!!!!!!!!!!”

His roar is loud enough to actually faze _you_. 

To _scare_ you.

It's all sort of hazy what happens afterwards, but you remember a strange burst of power surfacing from you after you took a serious hit. The clown is on the ground bleeding purple on several areas along his torso, face flat on the palace floor.

You can feel the overwhelming power fade within you, but you know that`s only temporary.

A few guards bustle in from all the chaos.

“Clean up this disgrace.”

You whip around to make your leave, but a sickening chuckle and honk make you pause mid step.

“The sun shall never set upon me, brother.”

Chills slither down your spine, but by the time you turn back around

he's already gone.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMG you guys are the best!! <3333333333  
> thank you all for reading up to this point!  
> And all of those comments/kudos are the only reason this story got as far as it did  
> X03


	20. Chapter 20

Escaping the prison was the easy part.

Now you have to make it OUT. OF. HERE!

But  not befur you investigate.

What are the demon`s strengths, blindspots, weaknesses.

You simply need to not get caught as you prowl around his estate during your investigation.

Some would call you a stalker, but he is a dangerous criminal who is a danger to innocent bystanders. Besides, you're positive that world class detectives to the same thing.

  
  


You have been cleaning the halls for a good deal of time now.

All day? Into the night? Who knows.

Who cares.

You shake that thought away and plop the mop into the pail of water, but perhaps a little too harshly because you just knocked the pail over.

The water pools out around your feet, and you find yourself simply staring at your reflection.

Jiminy Cricket you look miserable.

But you can't really bring yourself to care at the moment.

It's all just so…… pointless.

You sigh inwardly and continue mopping.

You will make this floor spotless!

  
  


You are quick to notice how glum Jake seems today, especially since gloom is usually something that he practically doesn't know the meaning of…..ok that's not true, but still. Gloom is practically radiating off of him as if he's a shitty sun of gloom in your castle. It's actually really depressing.

The moment you come down the halls and saw him mopping, you immediately could tell something wasn't quite right. He seemed lost.

_Lonely._

And you weren't going to fucking have that.

…… So you just, talk to him?

That's how this sort of thing works, right?

Right?

You find yourself cemented where you stand. Simply watching him.

As he mops his way closer, and closer, making his way up to you without realizing it.

He eventually begins to mop at your feet. Then bumps right into your chest. He jumps back in a blushing disaster.

“D-Dirk! My apologies! I-I-”

“You are forgiven.”

Just ask damnit!

“Jake, is there something that you wish to tell me?”

The emerald eyed Prospitian doesn't look you in the eye when he murmurs that there`s nothing.

“Jake, you know you can tell me anything.”

What the hell?! Where did that come from?!

“Really?” he looks at you pleadingly. “Anything?”

Shit.

“Of course.”

Damn this is getting cliche.

You take a step towards him, only to make a fucking ass of yourself and slip forwards knocking down Jake in the process.

And now you're on top of him……. pinning him down.

And you thought that this couldn`t get any cheesier.

Your eyes lock with his, and time seems to stand still under his gaze.

Neither of you dare to move.

Moments like these are too precious to fuck up.

….Here goes nothing.

  
  


Holy gib wicks!

You know that this was all pure accident, Dirk pinning you down.

But find yourself only gazing into the deep orange orbs locked with your own.

Dirk begins to lean down, closing his face down on yours.

And you know, you're ok with this.

You're actually _happy_ that this is finally and really happening.

And maybe John was a _tiny_ bit right about you falling for him.

Maybe….

You slowly lower your eyelids as his lips are just about to meet with yours.

But the contact never comes.

You blink in shock, disappointment as he quickly rises to his feet.

You are left sitting there, looking up at him with such confusion written across your face as he looks down at you.

To anyone else, he would be staring at you coldly.

But that's not how you see it.

You know him well enough to recognize that its sadness, insecurity in his glare.

“Sorry.” he mumbles before he flashes away.

You jump to your feet, only to slip back down on your ass.

_That hurts._

 

 

You watch this scene from the vent above.

Who is that boy?

Is he what the demon meant when he stated that there were others in this castle?

Gog, this is so painful to watch! This is just like reading your favorite fanfic, impatiently waiting for the OTP to finally get together and be happy furever!

*Cough*

You decide that you are going to look deeper into this.

  
  


You are once again the boy held captive in the castle.

Ok, so maybe that`s not entirely true, you _did_ have a choice in the matter.

But that doesn't mean that isn't how it feels.

And after what happened today, you are only left all the more confused.

This shouldn't be happening! You were supposed to miserable! A slave! Spending the rest of your days being alone with him and his untamable _fury_.

You're supposed to want to try and escape. (of course you would never do that)

But now you just…… you just don't know!

You are currently walking around completely aimless around the castle.

Huh, you don't quite recognize these parts.

Funny even with how long you've been here, you still don't completely know your way around and nor have you been in every inch of this place.

You decide upon entering a random room.

You open the door that looks the most inviting to you. (even though they all look the same)

At this point, you don't really know what you were expecting. But Gee Willicers! It's a full blown garden in here!

Flowers of all sorts growing full and healthy are all over the place!

It's pretty bright in here, must be some sort of spell.

A wonderful spell.

You go from plant to plant in a state of awe.

They kind of remind you of the garden from home….

You come to a bush with roses of deep blood red.

Your favorites.

You cup your hand gently at the head of one of the roses and sniff the sweet aroma.

_Just like home._

The sound of rustling leaves raises alarm. You whip around to see what it was.

“Dirk? Is that you?”

The rustling stops.

And well, you don't exactly know what you were expecting it to be if not Dirk. Which means you certainly weren't expecting a troll to leap out from those bushes.

Holy Gonzales!!

The troll keeps her distance, a look of extreme caution plastered on her face.

“How did you know I was there?” she asks carefully.

“What the Dickens do you mean?! You were far from quiet!”

“You shouldn`t of heard that.”

“Well I did! Now just who are you?! Dirk and I are the only ones in this castle!”

She cocks her head to one side.

“That's all? Just you and him?”

“Well if you want to count H- wait why do you want to know?! If you were a guest here then you wouldn't of been trying to hide, so spill it!”

The look she gives you is one of pure shock.

“Son of a witch I presume?” she says collecting herself.

“Excuse me?!” what the fuck is her deal?!

“I mean your mother. She was a witch wasn't she. That's the only thing I can think of that would _paw_ sibly of allowed you to hear me like that.”

“I-....” you trail off at a loss for words.

“Which is strange. I don't pick up anything magical in your aura.”

You never knew your mother. And every time you tried to ask dad what she was like, he would always brush it off and say he'd tell you when you were older.

“You seem like an ordinary human to me. But there`s no way you could be if you can win over a monster.”

“Huh?”

She leans in rather too close for your liking.

“So confess human! Just what is your relationship to the demon.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it`s been a while since the last update, but I`ve had a really busy week.  
> Thank you sooooooooo much for all of the support you guys have been giving this story!  
> All of the comments/kudos are the only reason this story has made it as far as it has <3  
> (and although I wasn`t very happy with this chapter, it was necessary for the plot :0P )


	21. Chapter 21

“I don't know what you mean!”

“Oh come on! I saw how your two interact! Rather puuuuuursonal if I do say so myself. How did you do it?”

“What? Dirk and I are just…… you know, I'm not really sure myself anymore.” you look down at the tile flooring.

When your eyes meet the troll's again, a mixture of emotions cloud her eyes.

Anger? Sadness? Releif? Confusion?

“Either way, you still haven`t told me who your are.”

“Wha- Oh!” she scratches the back of her neck. “You see, I'm on a classified mission. And I can't have you telling anyone that I'm here just yet, ok? I just need a little bit longer to confirm something.”

“.....You`re not after Dirk are you?”

“Well I-”

“No please don't hurt him! Look I know Dirk Isn't the easiest to deal with at times, and he has a nasty habit of giving off the wrong first impression, but please he's not a bad demon.”

“You don't know him as well as you think. Do you even know what kind of demon he is?”

…. You never thought about that.

“Thought so. He's a royal class Soul Master. One of the most dangerous creatures in existence. He mustn`t be trusted.”

….

Her head snaps to the side as if she heard something, then looks back at you, digging in her pockets for something.

“If you are truly a witch's son then only magic with puuuuure intent can work on you.”

She pulls out a vile of dust, pours it out on her hands, and blows it in your face.

And just like that she's gone.

You have to warn Dirk!

And not a moment too soon! Dirk flashes into the room with a katana at the ready. When only you are in sight, he lowers it slightly.

“You haven`t happen to see anything suspicious around here have you?”

You open your mouth to speak, but no words come out.

What the heck?

You try and tell him about the hunter loose in the castle and how she was just here! but you just….. can't.

Why not? You want to tell him you do! Why can't you say anything?!

Dirk is giving you a face that screams ‘WTF’.

UUUUUG!! Why the Fix Nuggles can't you say it?!

Dirk`s eyes narrow and he steps up to where you are, and swipes a finger across your cheek. He inspects what ever dust that is now on his finger.

“Come with me.” he says then flashes you and him to a completely part of the castle.

He flashes you in a room with several cabinets and shelves with bottles of potions and dusts that you dare not to touch. Magic can be very deadly in the hands of an ameture.

The door slams shut behind you magically, probably to keep out the unwanted.

He sits you down at a black table set in the middle of the room.

“You're going to be ok Jake. Just bare with me for a bit.” He begins rummaging through the shelves and cabinets for presumably a certain potion.

“The intruder silenced you with fairy dust, a spell that was only supposed to prevent you from saying anything about her to me. But she seems to be an ameture and she blew too much at you. Therefore silencing you completely.” he takes out a vial of gold liquid and begins shaking it. “Luckily she only casted a simple spell. I will be able to lift at least most of it.”

You admit you are kind of freaked out, just a little. But you trust Dirk.

_‘One of the most dangerous creatures in existence. He mustn`t be trusted.’_

Those words eat you from the inside out.

So what if he's a dangerous kind of demon, he helped you! He's kind to you now! You would even dare to consider him a friend!

Dirk flashes in front of you, startling you a bit.

He bends down enough to be face to face.

“Shhhhhh. Calm down Jake.” he coos as rubs a calming hands in circles on your back. “You're going to be just fine.”

You didn't realize that you were literally trembling until now. You release a shaky breath.

Because you trust him.

A few moments later, you stop trembling. And that's when Dirk stops rubbing your back. he pours the mixed potion onto his fingers and ever so gently rubs it on to your throat in circles. When he stops rubbing, his fingers linger there. Your unsure forest eyes yet again meet with his impossibly mesmerizing pools of orange as the spot on your throat that his fingers are on glow a fiery fuschia.

When the glow fades, Dirk withdraws his hand from your throat and places it on top of yours resting on your lap.

“Did it work?”

“B-Ballyhoo, it seems so.”

All of the tension built up within disappears.

“Looks like my intuition was correct. Only magic with pure intent can work on you. Don't quite know what that means yet.”

“By golly that`s exactly what ----” The rest of your sentence is cut off. Well your voice is

anyway, but your mouth was still moving. What the hell?!

“What I was saying was -----. I mean ----. Why can't I say it?!”

“The spell, it reverted it to the way the fairy dust was supposed to have affected you. Damnit, she must of gone through a lot of trouble to get that shit.” Dirk growls.

“So I can't say anything that has to do with ---- UUUUUGGGHHH!”

“With who casted the spell. That was what the spell`s intent was, but what I don't get is how that spell is pure.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Jake, you're very special human. Hal and I have been trying to figure you out since you got here. For some reason, magic has no effect on you. When you first walked through my front door, Hal had every protection spell cast that he could possibly use to keep you out. But you walked right through that front door as if those spells weren't even there.”

You are trying your hardest to take this in without freaking out and questioning everything your were taught as a child. John is magical, but you aren`t. You were never bothered by it because the thought of wielding magic kind of scares you. It's a huge responsibility, and you are well aware of all the stories out there that tell of those who abuse their power, or were not aware of the price they had to pay for using it. So you simply geared away from it all.

“But as it seems, there are certain spells that can work on you. Spells with only good intent behind them. Just like the time I used magic to heal your broken wrist, and to heal all those cuts you got from the shattered mirror. And for some reason this silence spell has too.”

“Will it wear off?”

“If the castor is found by me, it will. Because the intent is for me not to find her in my own

castle. I have yet to figure out how that`s good. But for now we need to figure something out. Just what are you Jake English?”

Uuuugh! You want to ask him about what the huntress said about you but you can't. What if you refered to her in a general manner? It could work.

“Somebody once told me that I am a witch's son.”

It worked!

“I don't know what that means though.”

That makes Dirk`s eyebrows raise.

“Was your mom a witch?”

“I don't know. The anything that had to do with my mom was always an avoided subject. The only thing that I know is that I apparently have her eyes.” you say that last part with a hint of humor in your voice.

“Do you know what her name was?”

“Sadly no.” you sigh. “Any sort of record regarding her was erased. Whoever she was, she probably committed some sort of taboo. Although now that I think about it, witchcraft is a taboo in Prospit.”

The more you think about this the more sense it starts to make. Prospit doesn't have the magic users like they do in Derse. Those who do have magic wielding capabilities must keep it a secret. John had to study his magic because it got to the point where he would create wind storms throughout the castle at the most random of moments without trying. He sworn to only use his magic for the protection of himself or others, or when he is strictly practicing. Funny how he wasn't the one with the witch mom. His mom was no secret, she was a maid that made some of the palaces best original recipes and died giving birth to him. He even knows her name!

Dirk brings a finger to his chin and knits his eyebrows together as he deeply thinks. Then he gets up and goes over to a cabinet.

“I do have a spell that I could cast to find something that was connected to her. It could give us some sort of clue.”

“Um. No that`s ok. Um-”

Dirk pauses his rummaging.

“I just. I just don't think the timing is quite right. I-”

“You want to hear it from your dad is that right.” he says flatly.

“....yeah. I guess that`s never going to happen now, but it just wouldn't feel right finding out this way, you know.”

Dirk sits down in a seat across from you at the table and places a crystal ball that he withdrew from one of the cabinets in between you two.

“If you're ok with it, I kind if want to know for myself. A witch's son is something of legend. It would explain a lot of things.”

“What's it supposed to mean?”

“You see, witches aren't terribly uncommon, but like all magic there`s a price in exploiting their ability. The price for witchcraft is giving up your fertility. In the extremely rare scenario that they do get pregnant, then fate would forfeit their life in some way or form after the child is born. And a newborn without a mother is as good as dead. That`s why children of witches are extremely rare. Legend has it that if the child were to actually survive and grow up, they could supposedly defy the laws of magic.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First update all week? Oh my!  
> Have been busy with life leaving less time to write some more :0(  
> Thank you all for supporting this story so far!  
> I know I keep saying it but all the comments and kudos are what keep me motivated.  
> So please let me know what you think!


	22. Chapter 22

“What do you mean by that?”

“Exactly as it sounds. It's possible that you have the ability to defy the laws of magic. Meaning that you could use as much as you want without paying any sort of price.”

Magic without a price? Impossible!

You've heard the several stories of how corrupting magic can be. You've seen the way John has been forced to keep his powers as much of a secret as he can.

It just can't be.  

“Supposedly that no matter the spell that a witch's son would cast, it would all be pure no matter the intent. And since the only way to cancel out white magic is with more white magic, it would explain why only good magic can affect you.”

“But we don't know any of this for certain, right?” you ask slightly hopeful.

“It would explain many things is what I'm saying.”

….this is a lot to process.

….

“You can find out, but I don't want any part of knowing.” you declare.

“If that is your decision, then I will respect it. And don't worry, I'm not going to pry in on your mom on my own accord, that`s a little weird.”

“Hehehe. I suppose so.”

As you leave the room with Dirk, the crystal ball is left unattended. And you have no idea that an image of a burning cavern and a golden bound book reflected within it.

  
  


At fucking last!

After bumping into more fuckasses than your thinkpan want to retain thinking about, after asking for directions and getting them yourself by threatening the of using force, after dealing with the long journey you have finally, _finally_ made it.

Your name is Karkat motherfucking Vantas.

And you have just reached the long awaited Palace of Derse.

You are currently hiding in thick shrubs, only 10 feet or so away from the gate wall, eyeing a Dersite guard like a predator.

Now you just have to get in.

“Indeed my brother.” an all knowing voice says from behind you making you whip around in non admitting terror.

“You aren't getting in my way this time around clown.”

“Get in your way? Brother, I've done nothing but up and aid you in your miraculous quest.”

“You sure as hell have done nothing of the sort.”

“Oh my dear best friend. I have helped in ways nobody else could ever up and imagine.”

This fucking guy….

“But its ok. I'm chill with you thinking that. You'll find out sooner or motherfucking later.”

“You stole my money before you gave me any kind of useful information. You're just a psycho sleazebag grubfucker for all I know! SO-”

The clown puts a finger to your lips.

“Shhhh. Don't want to up and let them know you're here just yet bro.”

GOD. FUCKING. GAAAAAAAH!!

You hold back your fuming rage for that sole reason.

“Besides. I've already up helped you in this jam.”

You are about to shout at him that he doesn't know what he's talking about-

“Hey you! In the bushes! Show yourself!”

Damnit!

You turn back to where the clown is only to see that he's gone.

“You have three seconds to show yourself! One! Two!-”

You trudge out of the shrubs with your hands up.

“Come with me.” the guard commands as he snatches your wrist.

If he thinks that you will comply with this, it's probably only for the first two seconds he has you in his clutch. You kick out his knee and bash the back of his head with your free elbow knocking him out cold. Without a moment to spare you abscond, running alongside the giant protective wall.

Several more guards start to chase after you, but nobody matches you in pure agility and speed. You make it all the way to the castle gates before you are completely surrounded.

If only you thought this one through. Reaching for your sickles would be useless because you are greatly outnumbered.

Quick! What's in your pockets!

Some sticks, dust, twine, and two bottles of potion.

Wait….

_“-up and aid you in your miraculous quest.”_

Those words ring in your ears like those annoying trumpets that herolds use to announce shit that nobody cares about. But shit here goes nothing.

You pull out one of the bottles, and smash it to the ground shattering the bottle to bits. The potion creates an instant smoke screen for your escape. There you pass through the gates and into the Palace.

‘John. I'm coming!’

  
  


Its funny really.

The magic dream forest is such a happy place.

You are under a curse. A sleeping curse! Shouldn't you be in pain?

Perhaps….

Well, you are in a wonderful place when you know you are needed on the outside world. You suppose that's a downer.

But you just….. expected differently is all.

The only complain that you may have is that it's just so quiet here.

That saying that silence is deafening…. you think you are starting to understand it.

You spot Jake appear in the distance.

Thank god.

“Jake!”

He whips around with his ear to ear smile as you make your way to where he is.

“John! You're here again!”

“Yeah. I'm not going anywhere anytime soon.”

The two of you sit under the shade of a good sized willow tree.

“How's it going at that castle place?” you ask.

“Comprising. We have an intruder living amongst us now. Dirk and Hal have been spending most of their time sniffing her out. I met her and got some good intel! But she cast a spell on me! I can't say anything about her! Well, I suppose that's the way it is in the waking world. This is just a dream after all!”

“Yeah. Just a dream….”

“She told me something rather interesting though. She's under the impression that I'm a witch`s son. Do you know anything about that?”

“A witch's son? Not really. Anything on witches was sort of scratched out in any of the magic books I had access to. All I really know is that they are taboo where we come from.”

“........John. Did dad, or anyone really, let you in on some things about my mother?”

“Not really. She is _your_ mom after all.”

“I know, I was just curious is all. Oh! I was also wondering if you had any knowledge on types of demons.”

“I studied magic in Prospit. I know just as much about them as you do. :B “

“I figured as much mate. But I must ask if you know anything about demon hunters. I`m  certain as a tuckered out pheasant that the intruder is one.”

“Jake.”

“I'm just curious is all! No need to terrorize me, gosh.”

“Karkat has told me a thing or two about demon hunters actually. He's met a few at bars whenever he would gather information for one of his investigations. He said that most of them are ‘ignorant stuck up asshats who think they could take on the Condesce herself, and that's if they have a few grub licks of modesty.’”

The look Jake is giving you says ‘it`s really sad how you remember that word from word.’

You don't give a damn.

“But he also said that they really can be dangerous. Depends on how experienced they are.”

“Well obviously. That's only common sense.”

“Common sense is something that we all could use a little more of. Not very helpful, but he's named a lot of them. ”

“Did he or anyone know about a huntress named ‘Nepeta Leijon’?”

“If I have I don't recall it.”

“Blast.”

You can sense that Jake is put at unease, you place a hand on his shoulder for reassurance only to have him disappear right from your fingers.

No. Don`t go!

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am fully aware that this update took a while to complete.   
> And since today was my last day before school gets back in, updates are probably going to be slowed down :/  
> But I will finish this story! I am determined!  
> Thank you for reading this far!!  
> All of your support with comments and kudos keep this story going!! :3333

**Author's Note:**

> I don`t know if it`s any good. Just an idea I suddenly had. Idk I have an appreciation for fairy tale inspired things.  
> Comments are appreciated.


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